PG&E is planning another widespread power shut off this weekend that is expected to impact Contra Costa County.
Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia reported online that the county has received preliminary information from PG&E about potential impacted areas, as roughly shown in the map.
A clearer map can be found via the County site here.
The shutoff is expected to start this Saturday at 10 p.m. through Monday at 2 p.m. “due to strong winds and dry conditions,” Gioia stated. Roughly 48,000 customers, or 120,000 residents, are expected to be impacted. In Richmond, potential neighborhoods that will be impacted are May Valley, El Sobrante Hills, Quail Hill, Carriage Hills North & South, Greenbriar and Greenridge Heights, according to the city.
Such conditions bring high fire risk, as can be seen in the Kincaide Fire in Sonoma County that has grown to about 10,000 acres, according to PG&E. Preliminary reports indicate the Kincaide Fire may have originated from PG&E equipment that broke, although that report is preliminary.
In a statement, the utility company said it is “closely following a potentially strong, widespread dry offshore wind event on Saturday that is significant in scope and could impact the Sierra Foothills, North Bay, Peninsula, Central Coast, East Bay and Humboldt.”
This weekend’s potential Public Power Safety Shutoff, which would be the third since the utility company began shutting off power to prevent wildfires this season, could mean customers impacted by the second event, which ended today, will lose power again this weekend according to PG&E.
“Customers should prepare by fully charging their communications, medical and other devices while the power remains on,” PG&E said in the statement.
