NEVADA CITY, Calif. September 24, 2019 – Updates about current and additional Public Safety Power Shutoffs will be posted here.
September 26, 2019 at 7:00 AM
As of 11:30 p.m. on September 25, here is the restoration status for the counties affected by PSPS, according to PG&E:
| COUNTY | PERCENTAGE RESTORED |
|---|---|
|
Butte |
89% |
|
Napa |
100% |
|
Nevada |
100% |
|
Placer |
100% |
|
Plumas |
100% |
|
Sonoma |
100% |
|
Yuba |
100% |
September 25, 2019 at 4:06 PM La Barr Meadows area has been restored.
September 25, 2019 at 4:06 PM
PG&E update: At approximately 2 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 25, due to increasingly favorable weather conditions, PG&E started inspecting the North Bay and Sierra Foothill regions, which were impacted by a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS), which began early Wednesday morning and was completed between 2 and 4 a.m. Pending the results of the inspection, PG&E anticipates restoring all electric customers in the North Bay, which includes Sonoma and Napa counties, this evening.
The following counties are having their areas patrolled for restoration of electric service: Butte, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sonoma, Yuba.
Restoration activities can only take place during daylight hours, so some customers may not be restored until Thursday.
September 25, 2019 at 3:58 PM The Peardale/Chicago Park area is reporting lights are back on.
September 25, 2019 at 3:43 PM We have confirmation from a reader that the Greenhorn area up to Lost Lake has been restored.
September 25, 2019 at 2:21 PM PG&E has confirmed they have the “ALL CLEAR” to start inspecting lines and restoring power. PG&E’s crews will work to visually inspect each mile of the impacted power lines, by both ground and air, to ensure they are free from damage and safe to energize.
September 25, 2019 at 1:43 PM With potential electricity shortages facing Nevada County, the County Department of Environmental Health offers the following food safety tips to prevent food-borne illness in the event of power outages: https://yubanet.com/regional/food-safety-related-to-power-outages/
September 25, 2019 at 1:31 PM Holiday Market in Penn Valley will have ice available shortly.
September 25, 2019 at 10:59 AM In addition to the Crown Point Facility, the Nevada County Airport Office and Transit Office are also closed to the public today due to the PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) and are without power.
All Gold Country Stage routes are running on their normal schedule and there is no planned disruption of transportation services.
September 25, 2019 at 6:16 AM
PG&E confirmed this morning (Sept. 25) that customers in the Sierra Foothills and the North Bay who were notified of an impending Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) are now without power.
The PSPS event is impacting about 48,200 customers in seven counties: Butte, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sonoma and Yuba. The process to turn off power was completed between approximately 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. Wednesday morning.
This PSPS decision was based on forecasts of dry, hot and windy weather including potential fire risk. Forecasts indicate that the peak period of winds should end around noon today.
Once the weather subsides and it is safe to do so, PG&E crews will begin patrolling power lines, repairing damaged equipment and restoring customers. In the area impacted by the PSPS, PG&E will need to conduct safety inspections of about 2,785 miles of transmission and distribution lines, which is equivalent to the driving distance from Sacramento to Philadelphia.
Restoration activities can only take place during daylight hours, so it’s likely that some customers may not be restored until Thursday.
September 25, 2019 at 5:29 AM The PG&E regular outage map shows the current outages without the buffer zones on the PSPS maps.
September 24, 2019 at 7:26 PM
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has been monitoring weather forecasts hourly and has determined a second Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) is necessary for approximately 48,200 customers in the North Bay and Sierra Foothill regions due to continued hot, dry and windy weather conditions.
For this second PSPS event, based on elevated weather conditions, including potential fire risk, PG&E will be turning off the power for safety at approximately 2:30 a.m. in the Sierra Foothills, and in the North Bay at approximately 4:30 a.m., both Wednesday. Windy weather conditions are expected to last until 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25.
Wednesday’s PSPS event will include 48,200 customers in portions of seven counties: Butte, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sonoma and Yuba.
Customer impacts may include portions of the following cities, unincorporated areas, and counties:
| County | Customer Count | Cities Included |
| Butte | 22,836 | Bangor, Berry Creek, Brush Creek, Butte Meadows, northeast rural Chico (225 customers), Feather Falls, Forbestown, Forest Ranch, Magalia, Oroville, Palermo, Paradise, Stirling City, Yankee Hill |
| Napa | 708 | Calistoga, Lake Berryessa, Napa |
| Nevada | 16,506 | Cedar Ridge, Chicago Park, Grass Valley, Nevada City, Penn Valley, Rough and Ready |
| Placer | 2,633 | Auburn, Foresthill |
| Plumas | 4 | Storrie |
| Sonoma | 711 | Santa Rosa |
| Yuba | 4,833 | Browns Valley, Brownsville, Camptonville, Challenge, Dobbins, Loma Rica, Marysville, Oregon House, Rackerby, Smartville |
| TOTAL | 48,231 |
Based on PG&E’s established protocols and procedures, PG&E initiated a Public Safety Power Shutoff on Monday, Sept. 23 at 5:00 p.m. impacting approximately 24,000 customers. Essentially all customers included in Monday’s PSPS event were restored today, Tuesday, Sept. 24, as of 6:00 p.m. During the inspection process, four incidents of weather-related equipment damage were identified.
Hundreds of PG&E personnel and aerial resources are standing by and ready to respond for inspections, repairs and restoration once the weather subsides. Those crews conducted safety patrols today following Monday’s PSPS and have restored power to essentially all customers impacted by the first event.
After the dry and windy weather has passed and it is safe to do so, PG&E crews will work to visually inspect each mile of our power lines to ensure they are free from damage and safe to energize.
Inspections will take place during daylight hours and, in most cases, we would expect to be able to restore power within 24 to 48 hours after the dry and windy weather has passed. However, depending on weather conditions or if any repairs are needed, outages (weather event plus restoration time) could last longer than 48 hours.
For planning purposes, we suggest customers prepare for multiple-day outages.
Inspection & Restoration Process
Steps to restoration after a PSPS event include:
- Weather All Clear
- After the dry and windy weather has passed and it’s safe to do so, our crews can go into the field to begin patrols and inspections.
- Patrol and Inspect
- Our crews will work to visually inspect our power lines to look for potential
weather-related damage to the lines, poles and towers. This is done by
vehicle, foot and air.
- Visual inspections are necessary since circuit breakers, reclosing devices
and fuses that are typically used to help detect any potential damage from a weather event like a winter storm are also de-energized during a Public Safety Power Shutoff for safety reasons.
- There are many challenges we face during inspections. Some locations require workers to travel on narrow access roads. In locations with no vehicle access, crews might need to hike in remote and mountainous areas to inspect equipment. And, at night, we can’t fly helicopters for visual inspections.
- Isolate and Repair Damaged Equipment
- Where equipment damage is found, crews will work to isolate the damaged area from the rest of the system so other parts of the system can be restored.
- Begin restoring power to customers within the PSPS event.
Community Resource Centers
To support customers in the potentially affected counties, PG&E has opened Community Resource Centers in multiple locations. The Resource Centers will open at 8:00 a.m. and 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 centers are located at:
Auburn Gold Country Fairgrounds
209 Fairgate Road
Auburn, CA 95603
Sierra College Grass Valley Campus
250 Sierra College Drive
Grass Valley, CA 95945
Magalia
14144 Lakeridge Court
Magalia, CA 95954
Harrison Stadium parking lot
Third and Mitchell Avenues
Oroville, CA 95965
Alcouffe Center
9185 Marysville Road
Oregon House, CA 95935
Loomis
3600 Taylor Rd
Loomis, CA 95650
Calistoga/Napa Fairgrounds
1435 N. Oak Street
Calistoga, CA 94515
September 24, 2019 at 6:42 PM According to maps just released by PG&E, more widespread power shutoffs could happen tonight. The map below is the latest released by PG&E.
September 24, 2019 at 4:55 PM
PG&E update:
As of 4 p.m., more than 91% of all customers included in Monday’s PSPS event have been restored.
PG&E’s meteorologists continue to monitor weather forecasts in advance of a possible second PSPS event that may take place late tonight or early Wednesday morning.
September 24, 2019 at 1:19 PM
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) continues to monitor hot, dry and windy weather conditions that might indicate a need for a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) in the North Bay and Sierra Foothills overnight through the early morning hours of September 25.
The weather pattern has shifted to later in the evening, and PG&E will make a final decision about a PSPS this afternoon.
Meanwhile, progress continues on restoring service to the 22,000 customers in the Sierra Foothills impacted by a PSPS Monday evening. As of 11 a.m. today, service has been restored to about 6,700 customers.
September 24, 2019 at 10:54 AM
PG&E update: PG&E expects to be able to restore power to essentially all customers by 6 p.m. on Tuesday evening, September 24, notwithstanding any damage that is found.
PG&E continues to monitor weather conditions in the North Bay and Sierra foothills that could possibly lead to a second PSPS event on Tuesday night through Wednesday morning. This includes customers in portions of nine counties—Butte, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sutter, Yuba, Lake, Napa and Sonoma. If a PSPS is needed, customers will be informed as soon as possible.
September 24, 2019 at 9:28 AM
PG&E update: Potential Tuesday Evening (Sept. 24) Event
PG&E is also tracking a similar weather event in the same general region (Sierra foothills and North Bay) for Tuesday evening, Sept. 24.
Elevated weather conditions, including potential fire risk, are forecasted to begin around 7 p.m. Tuesday evening, Sept. 24, with peak fire risk forecasted to last until 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 25.
PG&E will make a final decision on whether to initiate a second Public Safety Power Shutoff event late Tuesday morning. If a PSPS proceeds in these counties, it is anticipated to take place during the late afternoon or evening hours on Tuesday.
Customers who are affected by the Monday night shutoff may be restored for a brief time on Tuesday before experiencing a second power shutoff Tuesday night. PG&E wants to remind customers to use any window of re-energization to charge their electronic devices.
September 24, 2019 at 9:17 AM
PG&E update: At 6:00 a.m. this morning, crews began conducting safety patrols and inspections in Butte, Nevada and Yuba counties. In some areas where patrols have been completed, we are beginning to re-energize the power lines.
193 personnel and 19 helicopters will inspect approximately 1357 miles of transmission and distribution lines as part of the restoration process.
170 transmission miles
1197 distribution miles
That’s the equivalent distance from San Francisco to Kansas.
Inspections will take place during daylight hours and PG&E expects to be able to restore power to essentially all customers by 6:00 p.m., notwithstanding any damage that is found.
PG&E continues to monitor weather conditions in the North Bay and Sierra foothills that could possibly lead to a second PSPS event on Tuesday night through Wednesday morning. This include customers in portions of nine counties – Butte, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sutter, Yuba, Lake, Napa and Sonoma. If a PSPS is needed, customers will be informed as soon as possible.
September 24, 2019 at 9:14 AM
PG&E forecast: Dry offshore winds and low humidity will continue at times through most of Wednesday in the Sacramento Valley and elevated terrain in the northern half of the PG&E territory. As a result, the National Weather Service has Red Flag Warnings in place through Wednesday evening for the Sacramento Valley and adjacent terrain as well as elevated terrain of the North and East Bay area into Wednesday morning. Please check weather.gov for official information about watches/warnings. The latest PSPS forecast still indicates parts of zone 5 (Butte, Placer, and Nevada counties) and some areas of zones 3 and 4 (portions of Napa, Lake, and Sonoma Counties) in a PSPS Watch for tonight and into tomorrow morning and the PG&E emergency operations center remains activated to monitor the event. Zone 2 remains in a PSPS Watch for Wednesday as well. Please note that PSPS decisions are made at a more granular level; thus, only a portion of a zone may experience a PSPS event if warranted.
September 24, 2019 at 9:01 AM
NWS Sacramento: Gusty north winds and low humidity continue today through Wednesday bringing critical fire weather concerns throughout the area. The Red Flag Warning has been extended in the western portion of the Sacramento Valley and adjacent foothills through Wednesday evening. In addition to fire weather concerns, Valley temperatures, including the Delta region, will heat up into the mid and upper 90s both today and Wednesday. Temperatures cool down Thursday through the weekend, with several inches of high elevation snow expected Sunday into early next week.
September 24, 2019 at 7:26 AM
PG&E Update:
At approximately 5 p.m. on Monday, September 23, PG&E began turning off power for safety to about 24,000 customers in portions of Butte, Nevada and Yuba Counties. By approximately 8 p.m. PG&E had completed the task of turning off power for public safety to about 24, 000 customers in the Sierra foothills. Power will remain off until weather conditions improve and it is safe to restore service. If you live in these communities, PG&E will attempt to contact you via telephone, text and email.
Customers in those three counties as well as in El Dorado County, Lake County, Sutter County, Napa County, Placer County and Sonoma County should remain on standby for a possible weather event on Tuesday, September 24.
PG&E continues to monitor weather conditions in the North Bay and Sierra foothills that could possibly lead to a second PSPS event on Tuesday night through Wednesday morning PSPS event. This include customers in portions of nine counties—Butte, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, Sutter, Yuba, Lake, Napa and Sonoma. If a PSPS is needed, customers will be informed as soon as possible.
Customers in Butte, Nevada and Yuba counties who are affected by the Monday night shutoff may be restored for a short period on Tuesday before experiencing a second power shutoff Tuesday night should a PSPS become necessary. PG&E wants to remind those customers to use any window of re-energization to charge their electronic devices.
To support customers in the potentially impacted counties, PG&E will open Community Resource Centers in multiple locations on Tuesday, September 24, at 8 a.m. The centers will be open during daylight hours only and will provide restrooms, bottled water, electronic device charging and air-conditioned seating for up to 100 customers each.
The centers are located at:
Auburn Gold Country Fairgrounds
303 Sacramento Street
Auburn, CA 95603
Sierra College Grass Valley Campus
250 Sierra College Drive
Grass Valley, CA 95945
14144 Lakeridge Circle
Magalia, CA 95954
Alcouffe Center
9185 Marysville Road
Oregon House, CA 95935
Harrison Stadium parking lot
Third and Mitchell avenues
Oroville, CA 95965