What’s ahead for PG&E, customers after shutoffs
The Bay Area is still reeling from the historic Pacific Gas and Electric Co. shutoffs that left about 2 million people without power across Northern California last week.
Many fear this could be the new normal. But how this aggressive prevention plan will play out in the future remains to be seen. Here’s what we know:
What happened?
PG&E cut power to 738,000 customers across central and Northern California — an estimated 2 million people — for several days last week in order to prevent its equipment from causing a wildfire. The shutoffs were unprecedented and left communities scrambling for help as they faced rotting food, closed businesses and nonfunctioning medical equipment.
The consequences were swift — the company’s stock price plummeted and PG&E officials faced thousands of angry customers who questioned the necessity and effectiveness of the shutoffs, particularly as weather conditions improved toward the end of the week. CEO Bill Johnson admitted the utility company was unprepared to carry out such a massive, abrupt shutoff, saying: “Put simply, we were not adequately prepared to support this operational event.”
PG&E officials said they identified 50 confirmed cases of damaged equipment and an additional 100 cases where damage might have been windrelated. In some of the incidents, heavy branches fell onto inactive power lines. What’s next for customers?
Customers can expect to catch a break this week as cooler temperatures settle into the Bay Area. The National Weather Service said there are no concerns of weather that would increase the risk of fires. Meanwhile, PG&E said it’s not anticipating any shutoffs, though they’ll continue down the line. What’s ahead for PG&E?
The California Public Utilities Commission in May approved PG&E’s first annual, statemandated wildfire prevention plan, which included turning off power lines during dangerously dry and windy weather. This means that future shutoffs are certain because PG&E must follow the CPUCapproved plan as dictated by a judge’s order in their bankruptcy case.
A judge last week stripped PG&E of its right to draw up an exclusive reorganization plan to face an estimated $30 billion in wildfire liabilities, the Los
Angeles Times reported.
Meanwhile, state Sen. Scott Wiener, DSan Francisco, who has proposed a bill to restrict shutoffs, said the state needs clear standards for when utilities can flip the switch. “The Wild West doesn’t work,” he tweeted.
PG&E is expected to file a report detailing the shutoffs to the CPUC within 10 days. Asked Sunday if there’s anything the company will change in the future, spokesman J.D. Guidi declined to comment.