Monterey and Santa Cruz counties included in new PG&E “public safety power shutoff” watch
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KION)
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) announced a "Public Safety Power Shutoff" (PSPS) outage "Watch" for approximately 466,000 customers in 38 counties.
In a news release Friday night, PG&E says the potential PSPS is "expected" to start Sunday morning. Santa Cruz County and a small portion of Monterey County are involved.
PG&E writes, "Extremely dry, windy conditions with high gusts pose an increased risk for damage to the electric system that has the potential to ignite fires in areas with critically dry vegetation," adding "High fire-risk conditions are expected to arrive Sunday morning. High winds are currently expected to subside Tuesday morning (Oct. 27)."
Monterey County Office of Emergency Services later posted the estimated shutoff time is expected to start between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. Sunday, with estimated restoration on Tuesday.
According to PG&E, the impact on the Central Coast is:
- Monterey County: 242 customers, 6 Medical Baseline customers
- Santa Cruz County: 14,317 customers, 975 Medical Baseline customers
"Due to current weather forecasts the Palo Colorado area, Dormody Rd and Poncino Rd areas and from the San Clemente Trail south along Robinson Canyon Rd to the White Rock Lake are under a Watch for a Public Safety Power Shutoff," Monterey County OES writes Friday night.
“We’re seeing four extremes in the weather for this potential PSPS event: extremely high winds, extremely low humidity, extreme dry fuels due to the hottest average temperatures over the last six months according to records that go back 126 years, and extreme drought across the territory given lack of rainfall,” said PG&E’s Scott Strenfel, head of meteorology and fire science.
“While temperatures are expected to drop heading into this event with cold weather expected in some areas, the high winds, low humidity, dry fuels and lack of rainfall continues to result in high fire hazard conditions.”
COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTERS:
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY:
- Enterprise Technology Center
- 100 Enterprise Way
- Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz, 95066
Date Open:10/25/2020
Date Closed: To Be Announced
Hours Open: 8:00AM - 10:00PM
Location Type: Outdoor
Available Resources: Snacks and water, Device charging, ADA-accessible restroom and washing station, Small medical device charging, Wi-Fi
Full list of Potentially Affected Customers for this event, from PG&E:
• Alameda County: 39,401 customers, 1,483 Medical Baseline customers
• Alpine County: 575 customers, 6 Medical Baseline customers
• Amador County: 10,448 customers, 805 Medical Baseline customers
• Butte County: 19,185 customers, 1,833 Medical Baseline customers
• Calaveras County: 19,329 customers, 967 Medical Baseline customers
• Colusa County: 565 customers, 32 Medical Baseline customers
• Contra Costa County: 20,148 customers, 957 Medical Baseline customers
• El Dorado County: 41,009 customers, 2,891 Medical Baseline customers
• Fresno County: 4,746 customers, 417 Medical Baseline customers
• Glenn County: 377 customers, 18 Medical Baseline customers
• Humboldt County: 6,712 customers, 232 Medical Baseline customers
• Kern County: 649 customers, 32 Medical Baseline customers
• Lake County: 31,590 customers, 2,613 Medical Baseline customers
• Lassen County: 989 customers, 50 Medical Baseline customers
• Madera County: 16,542 customers, 1,513 Medical Baseline customers
3
• Marin County: 19,626 customers, 608 Medical Baseline customers
• Mariposa County: 1,203 customers, 45 Medical Baseline customers
• Mendocino County: 10,038 customers, 552 Medical Baseline customers
• Monterey County: 242 customers, 6 Medical Baseline customers
• Napa County: 15,598 customers, 510 Medical Baseline customers
• Nevada County: 40,252 customers, 2,446 Medical Baseline customers
• Placer County: 18,060 customers, 1,117 Medical Baseline customers
• Plumas County: 9,370 customers, 429 Medical Baseline customers
• San Joaquin County: 10 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
• San Mateo County: 4,458 customers, 120 Medical Baseline customers
• Santa Clara County: 4,770 customers, 238 Medical Baseline customers
• Santa Cruz County: 14,317 customers, 975 Medical Baseline customers
• Shasta County: 25,169 customers, 1,997 Medical Baseline customers
• Sierra County: 1,101 customers, 24 Medical Baseline customers
• Siskiyou County: 57 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
• Solano County: 1,606 customers, 100 Medical Baseline customers
• Sonoma County: 38,120 customers, 2,111 Medical Baseline customers
• Stanislaus County: 35 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
• Tehama County: 9,751 customers, 849 Medical Baseline customers
• Trinity County: 1,406 customers, 76 Medical Baseline customers
• Tuolumne County: 33,271 customers, 2,427 Medical Baseline customers
• Yolo County: 166 customers, 4 Medical Baseline customers
• Yuba County: 5,196 customers, 412 Medical Baseline customers
• Total*: 466,093 customers, 28,895 Medical Baseline customers
