Updated 4:06 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 6, 2020 - Action News Now's assistant news director, Scott Rates, spoke with a PG&E representative Sunday late in the afternoon. Public Information Officer Katie Allen fro PG&E said their company is waiting for word from CALISO to determine whether rolling blackouts need to occur on Saturday.
Allen said if notified that a rolling blackout does need to occur Saturday evening, they will only have ten minutes to drop some of their customers from the electric grid, temporarily.
Allen insisted that the PSPS energy shut-offs that may or may not occur, are a last case scenario for the company. She said it was absolutely a "last resort."
Some residents of Butte County told Action News Now that they received a 48-hour PSPS notice on Friday night, warning of the possibility of closures between Monday and Wednesday of this week.
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CALIFORNIA - Rolling blackouts or a PG&E planned PSPS outage may occur this holiday weekend.
According to California's Independent System Operator, energy supplies ran low on Saturday, caused a Stage 2 emergency. This means that utility companies could reduce the electricity to customers that have previously agreed to have their power scaled back during this kind of power situation. The companies that sign up for the program receive discounts on their power bill for participating in the energy conservation program.
A Flex Alert is an urgent call by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) to conserve electricity and shift demand to off-peak hours. Conservation can generate 1,000 megawatts or more in electricity savings statewide—equal to the output of two large power plants.
Everyone in California is under a Flex Alert this holiday weekend. Energy conservation is requested from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Sunday. PG&E is also warning of a possible power outage being planned for fire safety that could start Monday evening and continue through mid-day on Wednesday.
Late Saturday night Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) notified customers that they might need to turn off power due to extreme weather and fire danger (called a PSPS outage). 48-hour notices were sent out to 103,000 customers in parts of 17 counties in the Sierra foothills, the North Bay, and the East Bay. The counties that may be impacted include Butte, Shasta, Tehama, Plumas, Yuba, Sierra, Placer, Humboldt, Nevada, Napa, Lake, Sonoma, Kern, El Dorado, Calaveras, Amador, and Tuolumne counties.
PG&E said their customer notifications via text, email, and automated phone calls began late on Saturday, approximately 48 hours prior to the potential shutoff period. Customers enrolled in the Medical Baseline program who do not verify that they have received the corporate communication will be visited personally by a PG&E employee. A primary focus is on customers who rely on electricity for critical life-sustaining equipment, according to PG&E.
More than half of PG&E's 70,000 square miles of service area in Northern and Central California are classified as being in high fire-threat areas. PG&E says the state's high-risk areas have tripled in size over the last seven years.
- PG&E’s emergency websiteis now available in 13 languages. Currently, the website is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Russian, Vietnamese, Korean, Farsi, Arabic, Hmong, Khmer, Punjab,i and Japanese. Customers will have the opportunity to choose their language of preference for viewing the information when visiting the website.
- Customers are encouraged to update their contact information and indicate their preferred language for notifications by visiting this webpage or by calling 1-800-742-5000, where in-language support is available.
- Tenants and non-account holders can sign up to receive PSPS ZIP Code Alerts for any area where you do not have a PG&E account by visiting this link.
- PG&E has launched a new tool at its online Safety Action Centerto help customers prepare. By using the "Make Your Own Emergency Plan" tool and answering a few short questions, visitors to the website can compile and organize the important information needed for a personalized family emergency plan. This includes phone numbers, escape routes, and a family meeting location if an evacuation is necessary.
Some helpful tips for conserving power:
• Avoid using electrical appliances and devices from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m. Put off tasks such as vacuuming, laundry, dish washing and computer time until after 9 p.m.
• Adjust your thermostat to 78 degrees or higher, after cooling your home to below-normal levels in the morning. Turn it off if you will be away from home. Use a fan instead of air conditioning when possible.
• Draw drapes and turn off unnecessary lighting.
• Limit the opening of refrigerators, which is a major user of electricity in most homes. The average refrigerator is opened 33 times a day.
• Keep refrigerator full (with bottles of water if nothing else) and unplug your second refrigerator if you have one.
• Avoid using the oven. Instead, cook on the stove, use a microwave, or grill outside.
• Set your pool pump to run overnight instead of during the day.
PG&E Tips to Stay Safe and Cool
• Plan ahead: Check the weather forecast to prepare for hot days.
• Keep an emergency contact list: Keep a list of emergency phone numbers.
• Have a buddy system: Check on elderly or frail people.
• Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water, even when you are not thirsty.
• Stay cool: Take a cool shower or bath and wear lightweight, loose, light-colored clothing.
• Stay safe: Stay out of direct sunlight and avoid alcoholic or caffeinated beverages.
PG&E Tips to Prepare for a Power Outage
• Keep important numbers (e.g., hospital, fire department, police, friends, relatives) near the phone.
• Keep battery-operated flashlights and radios and extra batteries on hand.
• Gather non-perishable food that doesn’t require cooking, as well as a manual can opener.
• Freeze water-filled plastic jugs to make blocks of ice. Place them in the fridge and freezer to help prevent food from spoiling.
• If you have a generator, make sure a licensed electrician properly installs it. Improperly installed generators pose a significant danger to our crews.
PG&E-Funded Cooling Centers
PG&E also funds the operation of existing county- or city-run cooling centers throughout the state. These centers fill a critical need for those who might need shelter from prolonged hot temperatures. To find a cooling center near you click on THIS LINK, or call PG&E’s toll-free cooling center locator line at (877) 474-3266 or visit this PG&E webpage. pge.com/coolingcenters.
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