San Francisco, CA…Customers in portions of 25 counties have been notified by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) about a potential Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) starting Wednesday morning. Worsening dry conditions and expected high wind gusts pose an increased risk for damage and sparks on the electric system that have the potential to ignite fires in areas with dry vegetation.

High fire-risk conditions are expected to begin early Wednesday morning and continue into Thursday. High winds are currently expected to subside Thursday mid-morning. PG&E will then inspect the de-energized lines to ensure they were not damaged during the wind event. PG&E will safely restore power in stages as quickly as possible, with the goal of restoring most customers by end of day Thursday, based on the current weather conditions.

This afternoon, about 39,000 customers in portions of Santa Cruz, Santa Clara and San Mateo were notified that they might also be impacted by a PSPS – in addition to the 264,000 customers notified earlier today. The additional notifications were based on the changing weather forecast.

While there is considerable uncertainty regarding the strength, timing and humidity levels associated with this weather system, the shutoff is currently expected to impact approximately 303,000 customers in 25 counties:

County Customers Medical Baseline Cities or unincorporated areas with some customers potentially impacted
Alameda 12,200 330 Berkeley, Oakland, San Leandro
Amador 2,690 90 Amador City, Drytown, Fiddletown, Plymouth, River Pines, Sutter Creek
Butte 14,110 940 Bangor, Berry Creek, Butte Meadows, Chico, Clipper Mills, Cohasset, Forbestown, Forest Ranch, Magalia, Oroville, Paradise, Stirling City
Colusa 20 1 Arbuckle, Williams
Contra Costa 23,230 740 Canyon, El Sobrante, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Pinole, Pleasant Hill, Richmond
El Dorado 38,570 1,880 Camino, Coloma, Cool, Diamond Springs, El Dorado, El Dorado Hills, Garden Valley, Georgetown, Greenwood, Grizzly Flats, Kelsey, Kyburz, Lotus, Mount Ankum, Pacific House, Pilot Hill, Placerville, Pollock Pines, Rescue, Shingle Springs, Somerset, Twin Bridges
Glenn 230 9 Elk Creek
Lake 13,370 2,010 Clearlake, Cobb, Finley, Hidden Valley Lake, Hopland, Kelseyville, Lakeport, Loch Lomond, Lower Lake, Middletown
Marin 23,440 590 Bolinas, Fairfax, Forest Knolls, Inverness, Lagunitas, Marshall, Mill Valley, Muir Beach, Nicasio, Novato, Olema, Point Reyes Station, San Anselmo, San Geronimo, San Rafael, Stinson Beach, Woodacre
Mendocino 3,080 90 Gualala, Hopland
Napa 11,180 250 Angwin, Calistoga, Deer Park, Lake Berryessa, Napa, Oakville, Pope Valley, Rutherford, Yountville
Nevada 30,030 1,180 Emigrant Gap, Grass Valley, Nevada City, Norden, North San Juan, Penn Valley, Rough and Ready, Soda Springs, Washington
Placer 12,440 500 Alta, Applegate, Auburn, Baxter, Colfax, Dutch Flat, Emigrant Gap, Foresthill, Gold Run, Granite Bay, Lincoln, Meadow Vista, Weimar
Plumas 780 5 Belden, La Porte, Quincy, Story
San Mateo 70 1 Pescadero, unincorporated areas
Santa Clara 2,978 70 Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Gatos, Redwood Estates
Santa Cruz 36,164 1,833 Aptos, Ben Lomond, Boulder Creek, Brookdale, Capitola, Davenport, Felton, Mount Hermon, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Soquel, Watsonville
Shasta 21,720 1,340 Anderson, Bella Vista, Big Bend, Cottonwood, French Gulch, Igo, Lakehead, Manton, Millville, Montgomery Creek, Oak Run, Palo Cedro, Platina, Round Mountain, Shasta, Shingletown, Whitmore
Sierra 1,160 10 Alleghany, Downieville, Goodyears Bar, North San Juan, Sierra City
Solano 1,970 350 Fairfield, Suisun City, Vacaville
Sonoma 39,940 1,200 Annapolis, Bodega, Bodega Bay, Calistoga, Cazadero, Cloverdale, Duncans Mills, Forestville, Geyserville, Glen Ellen, Guerneville, Healdsburg, Jenner, Kenwood, Monte Rio, Penngrove, Rio Nido, Santa Rosa, Sonoma, Sea Ranch, Stewarts Point, Villa Grande, Windsor
Tehama 9,530 640 Cottonwood, Flournoy, Manton, Mill Creek, Mineral, Paskenta, Paynes Creek, Red Bluff
Trinity 50 2 Unincorporated areas of Trinity
Yolo 400 7 Brooks, Guinda, Rumsey
Yuba 3,940 20 Bangor, Browns Valley, Brownsville, Camptonville, Challenge, Dobbins, Forbestown, Marysville, Oregon House, Rackerby, Strawberry Valley
Customers can use an online address lookup tool to find out if their location is being monitored for the potential safety shutoff at pge.com/pspsupdates.

Timeline for safety shutoffs

If PG&E calls the PSPS, the shutoffs will take place in phases beginning Wednesday morning through early afternoon, based on local weather conditions.

Customer notifications and impact

The company began notifying potentially impacted customers this morning (48 hours prior) and will notify them again 24 hours and four hours prior. Customers who have provided their contact information to PG&E were notified by phone, text and email.

It’s important to remember that customers not impacted by the PSPS may experience power outages due to PG&E equipment damaged during this wind event; those customers will not be notified in advance.

It is also very possible that customers may be affected by a power shutoff even though they are not experiencing extreme weather conditions in their specific location. This is because the electric system relies on power lines working together to provide electricity across cities, counties and regions.

Community Resource Centers

To support customers in the affected areas, PG&E will open several Community Resource Centers (CRCs). Restrooms, bottled water, electronic-device charging and air-conditioned seating for up to 100 will be available at these facilities. Locations are below, and more are being confirmed. The locations of CRCs will be available at pge.com/pspsupdates.

The following services will be provided at our Community Resource Centers:

Snacks (non-perishable)
Ice
Blankets (upon request)
Heater
Restroom facilities
Charging stations

How Customers Can Prepare

PG&E is asking customers to:

Plan for medical needs like medications that require refrigeration or devices that need power.
Identify backup charging methods for phones and keep hard copies of emergency numbers.
Build or restock your emergency kit with flashlights, fresh batteries, first aid supplies and cash.
Keep in mind family members who are elderly, younger children and pets.
Learn more about wildfire risk and what to do before, during and after an emergency to keep your family safe at PG&E’s Safety Action Center www.safetyactioncenter.pge.com.

About PG&E

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric energy companies in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation’s cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.