Update Tuesday, 8 p.m.: The PG&E website has been suffering outages all day Tuesday due to a “high volume of traffic” according to the utility. Residents seeking up-to-date information should try following PG&E on Twitter, where maps of planned outages are being posted along with other relevant information.
On Monday, Oct. 7, PG&E announced that it will be considering turning off power in 30 counties spanning the northern and southern parts of the state. A press release from the City of Piedmont states:
Pacific Gas and Electric Company has announced that they may conduct a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) which could include Piedmont as early as Wednesday, October 9, 2019 and could last for several days. Should this occur, it means that electricity to all residences, businesses, schools, mobile phone towers, and public facilities in the affected area may be turned off. This Public Safety Power Shutoff event may affect PG&E Customers in 29 counties.
The City of Piedmont will provide additional information when it becomes available.
Diablo Winds — hot and gusty — expected
Alameda County was listed as potentially experiencing impacts to power in cities located in high-risk fire zones.
According to SJSU’s Fire Weather Research Laboratory, Diablo Winds — gusty and strong offshore winds blowing north-easterly — occur most frequently during the month of October, when the moisture content is at the lowest.
As of press time, PG&E has not announced information regarding which cities will be impacted, the anticipated power shutoff start time or the power restoration date and time. PG&E’s Emergency Operations Center have been monitoring a “potentially widespread, strong and dry wind event,” known as Diablo Winds, that is forecasted to last from early Wednesday morning through Thursday afternoon.
The Emergency Operations Center forecasts that the Diablo Winds will first reach northern counties, head down into the Sacramento Valley and spreading throughout central counties and the San Francisco Bay Area.
Preparing for a potential shut-off
To ready for a potential shut-off, the City recommends residents take the following steps:
- Make sure PG&E has your current contact information. Update your contact information with PG&E online at pge.com/mywildfirealerts or call (866) 743-6589.
- Check and update your emergency kit (HERE) and supplies (include hard copies of critical information and life-saving prescriptions).
- Identify a place you can go to cool off, if necessary
- Have a back-up charging system for cell phones and keep devices fully charged at all times.
- Learn how to manually open your garage door.
- Keep cash on hand (credit/debit stations, and ATMs may be without power).
- Learn more about Public Safety Power Shutoffs in your area (HERE) and work with your neighbors to make sure everyone is ready.
- Stay informed during disasters and sign up for alerts HERE.
Additionally, PG&E suggests that customers can better prepare for PSPS by:
- Plan for medical needs like medications that require refrigeration or devices that need power.
- Identify backup charging methods for phones and keep hard copies of emergency numbers.
- Keep in mind family members who are elderly, younger children and pets. Information and tips including a safety plan checklist are available at pge.com/wildfiresafety.
To find out if you will be impacted, enter your address in the PSPS service impact map. PG&E will be updating information regarding the service impact areas here.
City and PG&E plans, outreach
The City of Piedmont has plans in place to ensure that emergency services are maintained during a Public Safety Power Shutoff, but affected residents will need to be self-reliant for a period of time. For more information on how to be prepared for emergencies, please see the Public Safety Committee’s Get Ready, Piedmont brochure.
During a Public Safety Power Shutoff, please call 911 to report any emergencies which occur. The City of Piedmont has implemented plans to ensure that emergency services are maintained during a Public Safety Power Shutoff. Please hold non-emergency calls until after the after the PSPS event has concluded. Attached to this release are information documents from PG&E and East Bay MUD regarding Public Safety Power Shutoffs.
PG&E will attempt to reach customers through calls, texts and emails using the contact information they have on file for your account. PG&E will also use their web site and social media channels, and we will keep local news and radio outlets informed and updated. Residents and businesses who are enrolled in East Bay Community Energy will be affected by these Public Safety Power Shutoffs.
Earlier reporting on the PG&E PSPS can be found here: https://piedmontexedra.com/2019/08/anticipating-fire-season-pge-public-safety-power-shutoffs-psps-likely-coming-to-piedmont
This map seems to work: https://projects.sfchronicle.com/trackers/power-outages/
I have been trying to use the PG&E links to the maps where you can search to see if your address will be impacted, but none of the links seem to be working.