PSPS update for the week of October 14, 2024

Update October 16th, 10:50 a.m

With strong, dry northerly winds forecast, PG&E expects to proactively shut off power to approximately 32,000 customers in several counties starting Thursday for safety reasons

After continued monitoring, PG&E has adjusted the scope of the public power shutoff, which is expected to begin as early as noon Thursday in some portions of our service area. The potential closure is currently expected to affect approximately 32,000 customers in the following counties:

• Alameda County: 271 customers, 18 Medical Baseline customers
• Alpine County: 564 customers, 10 Medical Baseline customers
• Amador County: 55 customers, 2 Medical Baseline customers
• Butte County: 1,160 customers, 87 Medical Baseline customers
• Calaveras County: 2,346 customers, 59 Medical Baseline customers
• Colusa County: 605 customers, 30 Medical Baseline customers
• Contra Costa County: 913 customers, 49 Medical Baseline customers
• El Dorado County: 984 customers, 28 Medical Baseline customers
• Fresno County: 1,237 customers, 73 Medical Baseline customers
• Glenn County: 508 customers, 21 Medical Baseline customers
• Lake County: 605 customers, 58 Medical Baseline customers
• Madera County: 2,894 customers, 215 Medical Baseline customers
• Mariposa County: 640 customers, 15 Medical Baseline customers
• Mendocino County: 13 customers, 4 Medical Baseline customers
• Merced County: 27 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
• Monterey County: 597 customers, 21 Medical Baseline customers
• Napa County: 3,034 customers, 131 Medical Baseline customers
• Nevada County: 808 customers, 16 Medical Baseline customers
• Placer County: 1,175 customers, 26 Medical Baseline customers
• Plumas County: 658 customers, 27 Medical Baseline customers
• San Benito County: 24 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
• San Luis Obispo County: 128 customers, 4 Medical Baseline customers
• Santa Barbara County: 261 customers, 6 Medical Baseline customers
• Santa Clara County: 657 customers, 41 Medical Baseline customers
• Santa Cruz County: 132 customers, 8 Medical Baseline customers
• Shasta County: 2,412 customers, 194 Medical Baseline customers
• Sierra County: 972 customers, 41 Medical Baseline customers
• Solano County: 1,833 customers, 159 Medical Baseline customers
• Sonoma County: 988 customers, 22 Medical Baseline customers
• Stanislaus County: 27 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
• Tehama County: 2,056 customers, 199 Medical Baseline customers
• Tuolumne County: 3,823 customers, 175 Medical Baseline customers
• Yolo County: 262 customers, 15 Medical Baseline customers

10.15

Predicted strong, dry northerly winds mean PG&E may need to proactively shut off power for safety reasons About 28,000 customers in several counties as of Thursday

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) meteorologists and operations experts are monitoring a potential wind event that is expected to enter portions of our service area around noon Thursday and not exit until midday Saturday. Given forecast high winds and current dry vegetation conditions, PG&E has begun sending enhanced notifications to customers – via text message, email and automated phone call – in certain areas where power may need to be proactively shut off for safety reasons Reduce the risk of forest fires. The duration and extent of power outages depend on the weather in each region and not all customers will be affected throughout the period.

The potential Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) event could affect approximately 28,000 customers in small portions of several counties, including areas in the North Bay, East Bay, Central Coast and Sierra Nevada. PG&E’s internal meteorologists, Emergency Operations Center and Hazard Awareness & Warning Center (HAWC) continue to closely monitor conditions and will share additional customer notifications as conditions continue to develop.

When possible, PG&E representatives will conduct individual, in-person visits with customers who are participating in the company’s Medical Baseline Program and cannot demonstrate that they have received these important safety notices, with a particular focus on customers requiring critical life support equipment rely on electricity.

Potentially affected customers, counties

Customers can look up their address online at www.pge.com/pspsupdates to find out if their location is being monitored for the possible security shutdown.

The possible closure is currently expected to affect approximately 28,000 customers in the following counties:

• Alameda County: 28 customers, 1 Medical Baseline customer
• Alpine County: 564 customers, 10 Medical Baseline customers
• Amador County: 55 customers, 2 Medical Baseline customers
• Butte County: 648 customers, 51 Medical Baseline customers
• Calaveras County: 2,346 customers, 59 Medical Baseline customers
• Colusa County: 605 customers, 30 Medical Baseline customers
• Contra Costa County: 805 customers, 49 Medical Baseline customers
• El Dorado County: 984 customers, 28 Medical Baseline customers
• Fresno County: 1,151 customers, 73 Medical Baseline customers
• Glenn County: 511 customers, 21 Medical Baseline customers
• Lake County: 168 customers, 8 Medical Baseline customers
• Madera County: 2,901 customers, 216 Medical Baseline customers
• Mariposa County: 640 customers, 15 Medical Baseline customers
• Mendocino County: 10 customers, 4 Medical Baseline customers
• Merced County: 27 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
• Monterey County: 576 customers, 21 Medical Baseline customers
• Napa County: 649 customers, 17 Medical Baseline customers
• Nevada County: 808 customers, 16 Medical Baseline customers
• Placer County: 1,175 customers, 26 Medical Baseline customers
• Plumas County: 658 customers, 27 Medical Baseline customers
• San Luis Obispo County: 128 customers, 4 Medical Baseline customers
• Santa Barbara County: 106 customers, 2 Medical Baseline customers
• Shasta County: 1,417 customers, 87 Medical Baseline customers
• Sierra County: 972 customers, 41 Medical Baseline customers
• Solano County: 2,467 customers, 196 Medical Baseline customers
• Sonoma County: 707 customers, 19 Medical Baseline customers
• Stanislaus County: 27 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers
• Tehama County: 2,872 customers, 275 Medical Baseline customers
• Tuolumne County: 3,823 customers, 175 Medical Baseline customers
• Yolo County: 262 customers, 15 Medical Baseline customers

Why PG&E is declaring a PSPS event

PG&E initiates PSPS when the fire weather forecast is so severe that wildfires could threaten people’s safety, lives, homes and businesses. Our overall goal is to prevent catastrophic wildfires by proactively turning off power in targeted areas when extreme weather conditions threaten our electrical grid. We recognize that PSPS outages create stress for our customers and communities. Our sole focus is the safety of our customers.

Because every weather situation is unique, we carefully consider a combination of factors when deciding whether to turn off the power. These factors include, but are not limited to:

• Low humidity, generally 30% and less.
• Strong winds are forecast, particularly sustained winds over 19 mph and gusts over 30-40 mph.
• Condition of dry material on the ground and low moisture content of vegetation.

Our decision-making process also takes into account the presence of trees tall enough to hit power lines.

This set of criteria is a first step that may lead to further analysis by our meteorology team to determine whether a PSPS event is necessary.

Find out more here

• PG&E’s emergency website (pge.com/pspsupdates) is now available in 16 languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Russian, Vietnamese, Korean, Farsi, Arabic, Hmong, Khmer, Punjabi, Japanese, Thai, Portuguese and Hindi. Customers have the option to select their preferred language for displaying information when visiting the website.
• Customers are asked to update their contact information and indicate their preferred language for alerts by visiting pge.com/mywildfirealerts or by calling 1-800-743-5000 where assistance in that language is available.
• Renters and non-account holders can sign up to receive PSPS zip code alerts for any area where they do not have a PG&E account at pge.com/pspsupdates.
• Customers can prepare for emergencies at PG&E’s Safety Action Center (safetyactioncenter.pge.com). By using the Create Your Own Emergency Plan tool and answering a few quick questions, site visitors can gather and organize the important information needed to create a personalized family emergency plan. This includes telephone numbers, escape routes and a family meeting point if an evacuation is necessary.

PG&E’s commitment to wildfire protection

By using advanced technologies and rebuilding the electrical system from the ground up, we prevent wildfires, improve reliability and reduce costs in the long term. We are building the future energy grid our customers deserve, while taking immediate action to keep our customers safe.

Our wildfire prevention work relies on layers of protection that make our system safer and more resilient while enabling us to better serve our customers in the short and long term. These tools help us respond to our state’s evolving climate challenges:

• Our 10,000-mile underground construction program is the largest effort in the U.S. to lay power lines to reduce the risk of wildfires.
• In addition to undergrounding, we are reinforcing the power grid with stronger poles and covered power lines in and near high fire risk areas.
• Advanced Powerline Safety Settings (EPSS) reduce the number of ignitions and provide wildfire protection for all customers living in high fire risk areas.
• We continue to reduce the impact of PSPS. Although there were no weather-related PSPS outages in 2022, this remains the focus of our team.
• We manage trees and other plants near power lines that could cause a power outage and/or ignition.

We are also investing in advanced tools and technologies such as artificial intelligence and drones to help us automate fire detection and response.