PG&E, SCE will shut off your power to prevent wildfires, SB County supervisors consider plan
SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Utility companies are preparing for large-scale power outages in California as part of an effort to prevent wildfires. On Tuesday, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, and Southern California Edison representatives presented their mitigation plan before the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors.
"We are in an era of climate change and wildfires," said Mark Mesesan, a spokesman for PG&E.
The utility giant is no stranger to wildfires –-it has been blamed for some of the state's most destructive blazes in recent years.
To prevent disasters, the company will be shutting off power "to remove that threat of ignition," said Mesesan.
PG&E and Southern California Edison delineated the circumstances that would warrant a Public Safety Power Shutoff.
"Low humidity, high winds, high temperatures, red flag warnings by the U.S Weather Service," said Mesesan.
"What's the condition of the fuel that's on the ground, is it dry, is it dead, is it dying, that in connection with our observations from qualified electric personnel," said Edison spokesman, Bob Stiens.
Supervisor Das Williams and some public speakers brought up concerns about reaching out to vulnerable populations, especially medical baseline customers who depend on electricity for survival or for mobility.
"This is not a matter of personal responsibility, this is more than an inconvenience, this is people's lives we're talking about," one public speaker who shared she relies on electricity to charge her wheelchair, said.
Both businesses said they would reach out to customers at least 48 hours in advance, and during, and after an outage.
"Through TV and radio, notifications through the alert system by text or email messages. If we don't hear from medical baseline customers, we'll go out and knock on doors," said Mesesan.
One member of the Cuyama Community Services District board said large-scale outages would disproportionally affect rural communities like New Cuyuma. He asked the power companies to present a better mitigation plan.
Stiens said Edison is working on permanent power stations where residents would be able to charge their phones and get critical updates in case of an outage.
"We already have in place some mobile charging vans that would go out in the areas affected by, not only the Public Safety Power Shutoff, but if there was a shut off for another reason, if it was a wind storm or even a fire," he said.
A subsequent presentation by the county's Office of Emergency Management indicated de-energization efforts could last for days. Factors that would influence its duration include weather conditions, the amount of time it takes for the company to physically inspect all the de-energized power lines, plus the amount of time it takes to repair damaged lines.
Other challenges potentially associated with a large-scale power outage, according to OEM, include limited cell service (which in turn limits the public's ability to receive emergency alerts), potential food-borne illnesses from consumption of spoiled food, and financial challenges as a Public Safety Power Shutoff may not merit emergency declarations that would allocate state funding to local agencies.
The Board of Supervisors motioned to continue the discussion at a future meeting.
PG&E and Edison urged customers to have their contact information up to date under their utility account, and recommended signing up for their emergency alerts.
Southern California Edison customers can register here.
