Power Outages

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Power outages may:

• Disrupt communications, water, and transportation
• Close retail businesses, grocery stores, gas stations, ATMs, banks, and other services
• Cause food spoilage and water contamination
• Prevent use of medical devices

Prepare for a power outage before it happens:

• Take an inventory of the items you need that rely on electricity.
• Talk to your medical provider about a power outage plan for medical devices powered by electricity and refrigerated medicines. Find out how long medication can be stored at higher temperatures and get specific guidance for any medications that are critical for life.
• Plan for batteries and other alternatives to meet your needs when the power goes out.
• Sign up for local alerts and warning systems. Monitor weather reports.
• Install carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup in central locations on every level of your home.
• Determine whether your home phone will work in a power outage and how long battery backup will last.
• Review the supplies that are available in case of a power outage. Have flashlights with extra batteries for every household member. Have enough nonperishable food and water.
• Use a thermometer in the refrigerator and freezer so that you can know the temperature when the power is restored. Throw out food if the temperature is 40 degrees or higher.
• Keep mobile phones and other electric equipment charged and gas tanks full.

During a power outage:

• Keep freezers and refrigerators closed. The refrigerator will keep food cold for about four hours. A full freezer will keep the temperature for about 48 hours. Use coolers with ice if necessary. Monitor temperatures with a thermometer.
• Maintain food supplies that do not require refrigeration.
• Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Generators, camp stoves, or charcoal grills should always be used outdoors and at least 20 feet away from windows. Never use a gas stovetop or oven to heat your home.
• Check on your neighbors. Older adults and young children are especially vulnerable to extreme temperatures.
• Go to a community location with power if heat or cold is extreme.
• Turn off or disconnect appliances, equipment, or electronics. Power may return with momentary “surges” or “spikes” that can cause damage.

Stay safe after a power outage:

• Throw away any food that has been exposed to temperatures 40 degrees or higher for two hours or more, or that has an unusual odor, color, or texture.
• If the power is out for more than a day, discard any medication that should be refrigerated, unless the drug’s label says otherwise. If a life depends on the refrigerated drugs, consult a doctor or pharmacist and use medicine only until a new supply is available.

EPSS vs PSPS

PGE continues to develop and refine technology to minimize the risk of wildfire ignition. While effective, these advancements also increase the chance of residents experiencing power outages within our communities. Let's look at the difference between an EPSS outage and a PSPS event.

EPSS (Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings):

EPSS enabled lines automatically shutoff to lower wildfire ignition risk. These outages are unanticipated, so no advanced warning/notification can be provided.

• Advanced safety settings that activate in the event that an object strikes an electrified line.
• Deactivates the electricity within one-tenth of a second.
• Lines are then manually reviewed (by helicopter, truck, or on foot) before reactivating.
• EPSS lines have resulted in an 80% reduction in ignitions within High Fire-Thread Districts (HFTDs) compared to the last three-year average.
• To learn more about EPSS outages, visit PG&E's EPSS page to review additional information.

PSPS (Public Safety Power Shutoff):

In preparation for severe weather, PG&E may declare a "Public Safety Power Shutoff" event. These events may result in extended power outages while wildfire risk remains high, after which power would be restored to impacted areas.

• PSPS Watch Notifications: Up to two days before a potential event PGE would provide notifications about an anticipated PSPS outage. Information about the estimated start time and restoration time would be shared at this time.
• Power Shutoff: During severe weather, power would be shut off to limit the risk of wildfires. Power shutoffs can range from hours to days.
• Updates and Inspections: Once weather has improved, PG&E crews would inspect electric lines to begin restoring power. Estimates would be provided to the public about restoration timelines.
• Power Restoration: Within 24 hours after severe weather has passed, power would be restored to impacted areas.
• To learn more about PSPS events, visit PG&E's PSPS page to review additional information.