San Lorenzo Valley receives an emergency generator from PG&E to remain operational during bad weather conditions

Ben Lomond, Calif. (KION-TV) -- PG&E announced Friday that it will be helping support customers in Ben Lomond prepare for future extreme weather events.

The Highlands Park Senior and Community Center of San Lorenzo (The Center) in Ben Lomond plans to buy and install a generator, allowing it to stay open during power outages. PG&E said this was made possible in part thanks to $15,000 in grants from its South Bay and Central Coast Region team between 2023-2024.

“We are in the process of registering The Center as an Emergency Response Location so we can offer community members a safe place to gather, reduce isolation, recharge devices and access programs like Meals on Wheels,” said Coco Raner-Walter, board president for Highlands Park Senior and Community Center. “We are very happy that PG&E wants to help us meet our goals.”

The Center serves the entire San Lorenzo Valley, which is often impacted by powerful winter storms and is at high wildfire risk during the summer. Because of the wildfire risk, PG&E said the community is also protected by Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings (EPSS). EPSS' turn off power within one-tenth of a second anytime a hazard comes in contact with the utility’s power lines.

"When we get big storms, the ground moves," Coco Raner-Walter said. "We have slides all the time and then we have power outages because with those slides, the power poles go down, no wifi, then nobody can call anybody."

“We are so grateful that our customers in the San Lorenzo Valley understand the risk and take measures to protect themselves in all seasons and conditions," said Teresa Alvarado, vice president for PG&E’s South Bay and Central Coast region.

"I've lived in Boulder Creek for 35 years and we've had a lot of outages, so over the years," Garrett Wallace from Boulder Creek said. "It's unbelievable how often the power does go out. Even it's looks so nice and clear and all of a sudden the wind will come or whatever, and all of a sudden the power go out."

The Center already serves as a vaccination clinic, vote-by-mail polling location, a cooling center and a key location for community meetings.