With dry, windy incoming weather and a red flag warning from the National Weather Service, firefighters told the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors Tuesday morning that roughly 40,219 PG&E customers and 1,159 PG&E medical baseline customers are expected to lose electrical service during the utility’s planned Public Safety Power Shutoff.
PG&E announced Tuesday afternoon that portions of Contra Costa and 33 other counties will be affected by the preemptive power shutdown to try to avoid the sparking of a wildfire.
Even if no fire occurs, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Chief Lewis Broschard said the area will still suffer significant impacts as a result of losing electricity, from food safety issues to motor vehicle collisions associated with traffic signals that aren’t functioning.
Broschard called it an “unknown experience” that is expected to generate a spike in calls for medical assistance.
“We are planning to upstaff two additional ambulances … starting at 8 p.m. tonight,” Broschard said.
“We will be monitoring call volume and, if necessary, request additional mutual aid,” he added.
“We’re looking at longer response times because of traffic signal interruptions, unknown traffic issues and increased call volume,” Broschard said.
There are also outstanding concerns about how an extended power outage could impact BART service, East Bay Municipal Utility District’s ability to provide water, and exactly when the power is expected to go down or be restored.
“We don’t know what the timing’s going to be,” Supervisor Federal Glover said. “We’re in the zone of unknowns.”
The supervisors stressed that Contra Costa County residents are asked to refrain from straining emergency services like 911, police and fire unless a real emergency occurs.
Cities in Contra Costa County that will be affected by the power outage, according to PG&E, are San Ramon, Orinda, Lafayette, Moraga, Pinole, Richmond, Kensington, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Canyon, San Pablo, Pittsburg, Rodeo, Concord (mostly areas of North Concord, near the Naval Weapons Station), Albany, Antioch, Martinez.
image: courtesy of PG&E
When do they plan on turning the power back on tomorrow?
@Schmitty From what I’ve read on their website and what has been reported, they maintain that they will need to check the lines after the wind event for downed and damaged lines and it could be up to five days before power is restored to all areas effected.
Midday Thursday
This is outrageous, why are our elected officials not fighting back for us? This is going to blow up in PG&E’s faces and they already are reviled by most consumers.
So they should do nothing? They did that and it resulted in several of the deadliest fires in our modern history.
If it works, we will never know because no fires will have started.
If it doesn’t, well we will figure that out real fast
Yogurt – cutting the power is NOT a solution.
PG&E had a whole year to come up with a real prevention program.
Let’s not hope they planned this for the last 300+ days since the devastating fire.
OK Sideline what is your solution? What do you think PG&E should do instead of shutting off power during an extremely high fire event?
To Yogurt, who said PG&E has been doing nothing preventative?
To Leeland, you sound like a smartassss.
To The Mamba, I agree with you. Can’t you just see the lawsuits now, after people run into each other at an intersection? They’ll be saying that it’s all PG&E’s fault because they cut the power on purpose.
To Cyn : While yes, I am a smartass and usually proud of it, this was a serious question. If the shutoff is such a bad idea then surely as opinionated as sideline is I’m sure HE has all the answers and I would like to know what he would do if he ran the company. I don’t blame PG&E at all for the way they have decided to handle the situation that this state has created. Yes, the state of California, and their inverse condemnation laws.
I don’t see Clayton on the list.
I wonder if PG&E will proceed with the shutdown even if unneeded, just to see if everything works the way they planned.
The specific areas have changed since this morning. Cemex on Mitchell Canyon in Clayton was on the map this morning and an area extending from there around to Lime Ridge. But, the line has now been pulled back to the Danville side of Mt. Diablo and Walnut Creek. It does not look like Clayton is included. Marin County was not mentioned this morning, but now a large portion of it is included. There are maps online that define nearly street by street areas, but I can’t post a link.
Where from Bay Point and they don’t have us listed don’t know if where included or not but we are un in corporated city so maybe that is why
From when to when, I didn’t see how long the power
Will be off. This is not ok… The stock the elderly people
Who depend on oxygen. A nightmare!
This doesn’t sound well-thought-out.
So for concord does anyone know when they plan to shut it off and when they plan to turn it back on?
It seems to be changing. The first I heard was 4am Wednesday. That was revised to midnight tonight. The areas have shrunk considerably since the first time the map was displayed, also. They drew a much larger area of Concord effected, but the map updated at about 3:00pm delineated a smaller part of Concord, Dana Estates and Bay Point.
Have you all forgotten the Camp and Paradise fires? Have you all forgotten 335 days ago?
how can one forget such tragic?
But that was 335 days ago – PG&E had 335 days to do prep work.
This is NOT ok
I don’t see winds forecast for more than 16mph in Concord for the next 10 days. What am I missing? You’re telling me I may lose everything in my freezer along with all the other challenges because of a breeze? I call Bs PG&E.
This is not a big deal. Just pretend like you were born 200 years ago and electricity wasn’t common yet. Besides, it will be good practice for when China nails us with a massive EMP and it’s lights out for the whole country for years. Remember the 7 P’s and you’ll be ok: Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.
If that happens we won’t be around for years to see it come back on. No power, no money, no food, no water. slow death.
That’s it; sugar coat it.
What about people who won’t be able to work ? ? ?
Will their missed wages be paid by pge ? ? ?
Daughter just heard she may be off work for several days.
May want to bookmark.
should come with wind around Claycord.
https://www.windy.com/?37.784,-121.668,8
Click white X in red circle
If no power and everything goes dark, would that be construed as an invitation by some of our neighbors in Pittsburg and Baypoint to visit our fine communities and establishments?
this is outrageous, I feel like I am in a dang twilight zone.
Why aren’t our “paid reps” doing anything?
This is NOT the first time we have had dry, windy conditions. It happens every year.
Why didn’tPG&E do prep work?
Why can’t PG&E get their s@*^ together?
Why is this ok?
They have been talking about this for at least 6 months.
What are the other options for such a large area?
that is for PG&E to come up with. They had time, they are getting the big bucks.
Just to turn off power is just NOT ok!
What do you want them to do? @sideline You have all these great ideas, plus you want to put all the blame on PG&E…. they are doing their part to cover their butts and trying to save lives.
@sideline Thanks for a voice of reason. After you stole 2.6 billion dollars from PG&E, where did you expect them to find more resources to do all this prep work y’all are hollerin’ about? You sound like a bunch of city slickers who don’t which end the calf comes from.
Actually expect the unexpected when you least expect it
You are correct Martin, there is such a thing as reasonable expectation. Feather dusters are not included nor do they move by themselves.
Anyone else feel extorted by this gang of convicted felons yet? Rather than fix their problems they just cut off their customers. They decided it’s cheaper to forego revenue from electricity sales and not do the necessary maintenance and repair.
We cancelled a trip just in case we have an outage. No alarm monitoring if it does.
according to MDUSD my area MAY be affected. why cant we get a definitive time and location of the shutoff? i live near westwood elem. and i work at the sunvalley safeway fuel station. i need to know if we are going to be affected! this is ridiculous!
Don’t open the frig when you get home.
If PG&E had maintained their power lines appropriately some of the fires in past years may not have been started.
There is no excuse for these power outages.
The blame falls squarely in the laps of the PG&E executives who approved postponing inspections and repairs for decades.
Our bought and paid for state representatives have failed the people too.
Remember when they seek your vote next time.
You’re right, instead of turning off power to customers in potential high fire danger zones, PG&E should have just cut down every tree in their service area. Oh wait, then they would piss off all of the tree huggers. But then again, do Californians really love their trees as much as we think they do? Lets ask some folks if they would be willing to cut down their trees in order to potentially save their community.
You act as if protecting trees is an awful thing. I don’t understand why you would think that.
That being said, if a tree is a fire hazard it should be cut down for safety
And if you’re posting here, are you not a Californian? And if you aren’t why are you posting here?
Let’s not forget that without clean water, trees and nature there is no us.
Without humans there is still nature and water and trees. Let’s not forget who is dependent upon who here
PG&E does not own the lands they service. They are only granted an easement to allow utilities and provide. Most of the time either the trees own themselves or are vastly too numerous to address. Note it.
Your best defense is to get together with neighbors and/or the community as a whole and care for one another. It is primarily a local effort.
Holy crap Yogurt, I was hoping my sense of sarcasm would bleed through. No, I don’t want to cut down all the trees in California. However, I have seen a tree top from a 100′ tall tree, broken off and blown over 300′ away. Maybe I’m just saying that PG&E should be allowed to manage any and all trees that they, or their arborists, see as a threat. Currently I believe it’s somewhere between 8 and 12 feet from their lines, that PG&E is allowed to manage.
“B” when they do and “B” when they don’t… Made your beds, lie in them.
My frustration is they keep changing the areas affected.
You can also sign up for an energy assessment where PG and E can address concerns and note changes that periodically occur. As each area is different, with unique characteristics, etc. I am sure there are local , state , and federal programs that are available to assist. You have to sign up and get on the lists, as projects are usually implemented via a priority order status.
How about having the firemen out on patrol during the wind instead of sleeping in their beds. Could make a difference on getting to a fire faster.
How about you become a firefighter and then you can know what the hell you are talking about. My brother in law is a firefighter in Solano County. He’s not sleeping in his bed right now. Do you know how physically demanding fighting a wildfire is? Didn’t think so…. thank them & their families especially at this time of the year. Stop being a troll.
I’m reading everyone’s comments and I don’t think anyone has asked ,is this a temporary situation and will it only happen this one time or is PG&E planning to do this once a month and change up the areas effected or what? If this is going to become a life style then we all need to be prepared and start doing things to help yourself in situations like this instead of complaining. Obviously our officials don’t care. We need to help each other out. We need to share candles or flash lights .. put frozen blocks to
Stick in your freezers to help things stay cold longer. Cause 3-5 days is a long time without power. Maybe someone in the neighbor hood is willing to share a generator . take turns using it. Fill up your ice chests and prepare for perishables. Pretend your camping for a week. Help yourself and your neighbors .. be kind.
Post of the month!! Well stated Concerned!
Wow Susan I, you seem awfully sensitive. It was just a suggestion during the wind. Cops patrol all the time. I’m just saying if everyone is so concerned about the wind, get a jump on it. I don’t even now what a troll is.
Ya- Maybe I’m sensitive but they are patrolling. Your comment hit a nerve because so many posts here are so negative. I’m sorry if I took your comment the wrong way. I’m just thinking of what my sister & her family (along with those in the firefighting community went through during Santa Rosa & Paradise Fires. My bad.
Why now? Think about it!!!
During the summer we had drier days with more wind, and they didn’t shut the state down. This is a bunch of bull crap, PG&E is slitting their own throat with this lame move. People are getting tired of PG&E’s crap.