NorCal Residents See Power Again Following Days-Long PG&E Power Shutdown

Following two days without power for nearly 800,000 Northern California residents, PG&E is beginning the long and tenuous process of returning service to its customers.

PG&E has announced that more than half of the residents that experienced blackouts due to the sweeping power shutdowns have power once again. About 426,000 out of a total 738,000 customers have been restored, including full restoration in Humboldt, Siskiyou and Trinity counties.

GOOD NEWS: PG&E crews in Sonoma, Lake, Southern Marin and Mendocino Counties have kicked off line inspections. Once line and safety inspections are complete, the restoration process will begin. This process could take quite some time. That said, progress is being made.

— Mike McGuire (@ilike_mike) October 10, 2019

While about 312,000 customers remain without power, the power company indicated that many of them should receive power again by the end of the day on Friday.

As the weather has improved, an “all-clear” signal was given on Thursday afternoon indicating the weather had subsided to the point where safety inspections, repair and restoration efforts were able to begin in many areas. Windy conditions were still prevalent early Thursday, but subsided into the afternoon.

Maps of the strongest wind gusts along the coastal range since midnight and lowest relative humidity. For more wind gust information in other areas click the link below. #CAwx https://t.co/GqARC6Gemw pic.twitter.com/ihoIqvrVAc

— NWS Sacramento (@NWSSacramento) October 10, 2019

The PG&E power shutdowns have left the Northern California community frightened that these instances might be commonplace in the future. PG&E was blamed for numerous fires over recent years and was forced to payout victims in the range of billions of dollars. These shutdowns ensure the financial risk ins’t burdened on the embattled power company.

And it will happen (power shutoffs) again and again (potentially) for days any time there’s gusty offshore mtn/hills wind events (regardless of calmer wind in the valleys) 1/2) … https://t.co/TK6pFU62VV

— Rob Mayeda (@RobMayeda) October 11, 2019

While power is expected to be fully restored on Friday, it is a long process and no power restoration should be assumed. We will continue to monitor the situation and update as announcements are made.