Contra Costa County postponed until 8:00 p.m., tonight
By Tamar Sarkissian, PG&E Spokesperson
513,000 customers were part of the first phase of this PSPS; those customers are currently deenergized. They’re in the following counties: Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Solano, Sonoma, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo and Yuba counties.
About 21,000 customers in Calaveras and 800 in Mendocino were not part of the first phase and will be deenergized during the second phase coming later today.
Shutoffs for the second phase of counties, initially scheduled to start around noon on Wednesday, have been delayed by a few hours, given changes to the weather forecast. Those counties are: Alameda, Alpine, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Mariposa, Mendocino, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Stanislaus and Toulomne.
We understand the impact turning off the power for safety has on customers, we don’t take this action lightly. We thank our customers for their patience during this significant wind event.
EAST BAY AREAS EXPECTED TO BE IMPACTED
| County | Customers | Cities |
| Alameda | 32,680
Medical Base: 872 |
Oakland, Castro Valley, Fremont, Union City, Berkeley, Albany, Hayward, San Leandro, Sunol, Pleasanton, Livermore |
| Contra Costa | 51,310
Medical Base:1,594 |
San Ramon, Orinda, Lafayette, Moraga, Pinole, Richmond, Kensington, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill,
El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Canyon, San Pablo, Pittsburg, Rodeo, Concord, Antioch, Martinez, |
COMMUNITY WILDFIRE SAFETY PROGRAM
PSPS is part of a larger effort. Given the continued and growing threat of extreme weather and wildfires, and as an additional precautionary measure following the 2017 and 2018 wildfires, we are expanding and enhancing our Community Wildfire Safety Program to further reduce wildfire risks and help keep our customers and the communities we serve safe.
Our ongoing and expanded efforts include further enhancing vegetation management around power lines, conducting accelerated safety inspections of electric infrastructure in high fire-threat areas, and hardening our electric system.
In response to the rapidly changing environmental conditions in our state, beginning with the 2019 wildfire season, we are also expanding our Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) program to include all electric lines that pass through high fire-threat areas – both distribution and transmission. Factors that PG&E considers when deciding to initiate a Public Safety Power Shutoff included strong winds, very low humidity levels, critically dry vegetation and on-the-ground observations by our crews.
COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTERS
To support customers in the affected areas, PG&E will open Community Resource Centers in several locations beginning at 8 a.m. today. The centers will remain open during daylight hours only. Restrooms, bottled water, electronic-device charging and air-conditioned seating for up to 100 will be available at these facilities.
The East Bay centers will be opened at the following locations:
| County | City | Location |
| Contra Costa | San Ramon | Bishop Ranch Parking Lot – 2600 Camino Ramon, San Ramon 94583 |
| Alameda | Oakland | Merritt College LOT B – Leona St., Oakland 94508 |
CUSTOMER TIPS
We know how much our customers rely on electric service and that there are safety risks on both sides. We understand and appreciate that turning off the power affects first responders and the operation of critical facilities, communications systems and much more. Below are some helpful safety tips you can share. You can also direct customers to: www.safetyactioncenter.pge.com
PG&E Power Outage Safety Tips
- Use a cell phone or hard-wired phone. Cordless phones do not work without electricity.
- Use battery-operated flashlights, not candles, which pose a fire hazard.
- Unplug or turn off all electric and heat-producing appliances (e.g. air conditioners, washers and dryers, ovens, stoves, irons) to avoid overloading circuits. Overloaded circuits can be a fire hazard once power is restored.
- Unplug televisions and computers that were in use when the power went out.
- Leave a single lamp on to alert you when power returns.
- Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed, and place extra containers of ice inside to preserve food. A full freezer will remain colder longer.
- Notify your alarm company if you have an alarm system. Equipment can be affected by outages.
- Turn your appliances back on one at a time when conditions return to normal.
- Reset clocks, thermostats and other programmed equipment after power is restored.
Preparing for a Power Outage
- Keep important numbers (e.g. hospital, fire department, police, friends, relatives) near the phone.
- Keep battery-operated flashlights and radios and extra batteries on hand.
- Gather non-perishable food that doesn’t require cooking, as well as a manual can opener.
- Freeze water-filled plastic jugs to make blocks of ice. Place them in the fridge and freezer to help prevent food from spoiling.
- If you have a generator, make sure a licensed electrician properly installs it. Improperly installed generators pose a significant danger to our crews.
