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PG&E on Tuesday, Aug. 27, launched a new weather website with forecasts for possible power shut-offs.

The website at pge.com/weather predicts the potential for the power shut-offs for the upcoming week in various regions of its service area.

Shut-off potential is ranked on the site according to four categories: Not Expected, Elevated, Public Safety Power Shutoff Watch, and Public Safety Power Shutoff Warning.

The website also displays detailed information about weather conditions in Northern and Central California, according to the utility.

PG&E announced earlier this year that it was starting the public safety power shut-off program as a precautionary measure during windy and dry conditions. The utility has faced harsh scrutiny for its role in the devastating wildfires in Northern California in the last two years.

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3 Comments

  1. So PG&E is going to prevent forest fires in the wine country, etc., by turning off our electricity in the Peninsula’s suburbs? How about they just clear the underbrush in places like Paradise, do proper maintenance on their equipment, and leave our power alone.

    Think about this plan: off go our computers, refrigerators, stoves, toaster ovens, electric lights, heating and air conditioning–leaving us hungry and in the dark, and enduring interruptions in our paid-for internet access which some people need for work, etc.

    Congratulations, PG&E–an even worse plan than raising our rates to pay for your bankruptcy! But then again, I guess it will save you money…

  2. Enuff: There have been numerous articles as well as community events where PG&E, Cal Fire, WFPD, and multiple other agencies have explained the resources that they have at their disposal as well as detailed explanations of how and when power would be turned off. I encourage you to attend one.

    There is no excuse for under maintenance on the part of PG&E. I too am annoyed at rate hikes to address the issues.

    However, one of the most basic facts about planned power outages, when specific environmental conditions exist, is that PG&E will turn power off in the most at-risk areas – not across the entire service area. In other words, dangerous conditions in Marin County will not result in power outages in San Mateo County. Your first sentence is specious at best.

    Clearing vegetation is indeed a key component to reducing fire hazards around power lines. In Portola Valley, Pg&E has been aggressive in removing trees next to, or over-hanging power lines. Ironically, some of our neighbors in town demanded that the trees in front of their homes be left ‘untouched’ as they didn’t want their bucolic view disturbed. PG&E simply moved on to other streets to continue working – spoiler alert: who will be the first to complain if their house burns down?

    At the event in Portola Valley a few months ago, it was clear that PG&E is pushing hard on both line maintenance/inspection as well as vegetation clearing. It was also clear that they will not hesitate to cut power to areas when conditions warrant. An inconvenience? absolutely. But infinitely better than a big portion of one of our communities getting wiped out.

    You might suggest that PG&E abandon the planned power shut down strategy to avoid inconveniencing you, but what we all be complaining about if the hazardous conditions arose and an avoidable fire broke out?

  3. Finland taught us: just rake the forest.

    Soon, after we close on Greenland, we can start raking their forests as well. So much winning!

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