Restoring Power: What PG&E will do before turning the lights back on

PG&E said Thursday morning that the high winds that prompted a power shutoff are expected to subside in Santa Cruz County around midday, but there are several steps the utility will take before restoring power to customers.

After the weather passes, crews will begin patrols and inspections. At that time, PG&E said crews will visually inspect every mile of power lines to look for damage to the lines, poles and towers that could be weather-related. This will be done by vehicle, on foot and in the air.

If any damage is found, PG&E said crews will isolate the area so other parts of the system can be restored while crews make repairs.

PG&E said once repairs are made and it is safe, a call will be made to the control center to complete the energization process. At that point, power will be restored to customers.

When power is restored, PG&E said it will notify customers.

KION 2019