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PG&E warns of possible shutoffs in Northern California
Pacific Gas and Electric notified customers that parts of Northern California, including Napa and Sonoma counties, could be left in the dark this weekend.
NAPA, Calif. - Pacific Gas and Electric notified customers that parts of Northern California, including Napa and Sonoma counties, could be left in the dark this weekend.
The utility said some areas might be impacted by high winds and dry conditions this weekend. There is a greater risk of wildfires in dry, windy weather.
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PG&E sent warnings to 5,800 customers in the counties of Butte, Colusa, Fresno, Glenn, Kern, Lake, Napa, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Tehama, and Yolo that they could lose power as early as Saturday. The so-called public safety power shutoffs are predicted to end on Monday.
The possible outages appear to be much more targeted than the widespread shutoffs seen in the past. Click here to see PG&E's update section.
Customers in northern Napa and Sonoma are likely to lose power on Sunday and Monday, PG&E said.
There have been no public safety power outages so far this year. Fewer than 200 Bay Area customers would be impacted if the utility goes through with the planned outages, PG&E spokesperson Deanna Contreras said.
"A targeted portion of those lines that run through where we're forecasting the high winds," said Contreras.
The high winds could easily knock over branches and trees that would down power lines and threaten thousands of people in their homes down here in Napa Valley. "You know we could have a repeat of an Atlas fire or other similar fire catastrophes," said Napa County Emergency Services Director Kerry Whitney.