LAKE COUNTY— A Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) spokesperson confirmed over the holiday weekend that the embattled utility company was monitoring weather conditions which could trigger a power shut off during the next few of days in the wake of blistering late summer temperatures, 18 counties including Lake County could be impacted.
As of press time Monday no shut-offs had been implemented but the PG&E website notified customers that the company continued to monitor the weather adding that the current forecast indicated power could be turned off for safety in the next several days.
PG&E spokesperson Jeff Smith said customers had been notified ahead of the potential shut off which could impact approximately 103,000 customers out of 18 counties (including the County of Lake) and added it wasn’t looking as though it was going to be a big event.
Any power shut-off may also come in the heels of “Flex Alerts” over the weekend lasting into this week. The utility urged its customers to conserve energy during afternoons and evenings, adding that the state’s grid operator issued Flex Alerts, based on a forecast of increased power demand due to expected high temperatures.
A Flex Alert is an urgent call by the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) to conserve electricity and shift demand to off-peak hours, a company spokesperson noted in a recent news release. As early as Thursday PG&E meteorologists were forecasting a strong high-pressure system over the western United States resulting in hot and dry conditions away from the coast. Daytime highs were expected to top out 15 to 20 degrees above normal. Temperature readings showed 97 during the evening Sunday in Kelseyville and similar readings in Clearlake, Lakeport and other parts of the county with no relief from the heatwave expected in the days following the long weekend.
PG&E also funds the operation of existing county- or city-run cooling centers throughout the state. “These centers fill a critical need for those who might need shelter from prolonged hot temperatures,” noted company officials, but there are no cooling centers in Lake County.
The company link to cooling centers notes company designated centers in Fresno, Kern County and San Jose, among others but none in the County of Lake. When asked about the possibility of centers, Supervisor Tina Scott said they are usually set up by the Lake County Continuum of Care, but because of COVID, none were planned for this year.
COVID-19 also impacted PG&E operated and funded Community Resource Centers, These centers are activated in every county where PG&E initiates a Public Safety Power Shutoff but company officials noted recently the centers have been adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic while still aiming to provide some essential services such as ADA-accessible restrooms and hand-washing stations; medical-equipment charging; Wi-Fi; bottled water; and non-perishable snacks.
Among the changes, outdoor open air tents and vans will supplement indoor facilities to accommodate physical distancing while providing some of the services noted above. Smith said residents would not be notified of the establishment and location of a CRC until a power shut off had been officially declared.
The County of Lake via their Facebook page warned residents Friday elevated PSPS Potential for Lake County Tuesday and Wednesday, September 8 and 9 meaning a period of gusty winds, dry conditions and heightened risk was being monitored for an increased potential of a shutoff. “The likelihood of a PSPS event affecting Lake County increased over the course of yesterday evening, residents are encouraged to prepare now,” they posted on Saturday.
On Sunday evening, the county via Facebook advised residents that Cal ISO had moved to warning status; possibly resulting in some residents being impacted as part of a rotating outage. (Different from a power shutoff) County officials noted that as many as 3,890 households could be affected in the unincorporated area and up to 1,765 households in Clearlake could experience power outages for two to three hours, but the rolling blackouts did not occur.
“Per CALISO, thanks to so many who conserved, there will be no rotating power outages this evening,” tweeted Senator Mike McGuire on Sunday.
The Lake County office of Emergency Services on social media cited the U.S. National Weather Service Eureka office’s forecast: “Strong high pressure will continue to support exceptionally hot and dry conditions across NW California through Tuesday. A strong disturbance dropping into the intermountain west Monday night into Tuesday will produce strong, gusty winds on area ridges through Wednesday morning. These winds combined with the hot and dry air mass will produce critical fire weather conditions. Both existing fires and any new fires will have the potential to spread rapidly.,” The agency made no mention of a power shut-off event.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office’s latest post also mentioned the possibility of rolling blackouts but by press time Monday had little specific information on possible power shutoffs as a result of weather.
The 2019-20 Grand Jury in their annual report expressed concerns over the potential of the confluence of multiple emergencies including COVID-19, wildfire evacuations and PG&E induced power shut-offs of long duration.
