UPDATE:
The Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services is now advising that the entirety of Humboldt County is considered “in scope” for the PG&E blackout slated to begin Saturday night and all residents should be prepared to be without electricity for days.
According to OES, PG&E’s prior advisories that only 2,188 customers would be affected were based on “directly impacted local distribution lines” but failed to account for the main transmission lines into the county, which run along state routes 299 and 36. Apparently, PG&E is now anticipating those lines will be shut down, which will cut electricity to the entirety of Humboldt County, as was the case with the Oct. 8 and Oct. 9 shutdown, which spanned 28 hours and saw the entire county go dark. But this time, OES is warning that weather conditions are expected to last at least 24 hours and, once the weather clears, PG&E’s line inspections may take more time, meaning the blackout may continue into next week.
OES is advising residents to plan accordingly and warning that PG&E’s current maps and address search tool on its website are not accurate. The company will likely begin notifying affected residents tonight or tomorrow, according to OES, which urges customers to make sure PG&E has their correct contact information.
For the time being, it seems wise for every Humboldt County resident to begin preparing to spend at least several days without power beginning Saturday evening.
We’ll update with more information as it becomes available.
PREVIOUSLY:
The Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services received maps from PG&E this afternoon indicating the Public Safety Power Shutoff scheduled for Saturday night may impact a much larger swath of the county than initially indicated.
According to the office, the new map “reflects virtually all populated areas of the county on the grid.”
“Without additional clarifying information available from PG&E at this time, the Sheriff’s Office advises Humboldt County residents to be prepared for the potential of an extended power outage impacting all PG&E customers,” the OES release states. “Further information received from PG&E confirming the scope of this outage, as well as timing and restoration estimates, will be provided as it becomes available.”
From OES:
PSPS Power shutoff update
Humboldt County was notified at approximately 1:00 PM today by PG&E that 2,188 customers in Humboldt were expected to have their power turned off on Saturday, October 26, as part of a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) event driven by gusty wind conditions forecast on Saturday evening. The attached map was provided at approximately 3:30 this afternoon, indicating a much larger area would be affected. Similar to the October 9 outage, this map reflects virtually all populated areas of the county on the grid.
Without additional clarifying information available from PG&E at this time, the Sheriff’s Office advises Humboldt County residents to be prepared for the potential of an extended power outage impacting all PG&E customers. Further information received from PG&E confirming the scope of this outage, as well as timing and restoration estimates, will be provided as it becomes available.
This article appears in The Island’s Return.
It’s very nice that all our local agencies are trying to keep us up-to-date but it changes on the hour that’s not our fault here but PG&E needs to get their act together may I don’t blame him for everything but if you a medical condition you just don’t know what to do that could give someone a heart attack you know I would be the point should I maybe go to Oregon for a few days what should I do go out and buy a generator not everybody can afford to do that
Power shut offs is affecting the economy of peoples lives. Most are allready living on a pay check to pay check life. What happens when power is cut off for two or three working days for hundreds if not thousands of working class people every week because the wind may blow ?
It will place a burden on families budgets that are on an already thin line. It will definitely put a dent in the very income the goverment relies on “taxes” !
They need a different plan & they need one now !
No electricity equals no work
No work equals no pay check
No check equals no money for PG&E
No check equals no money for rent
No check equals no money for insurance
No check equals no money for schools
No check equals no money for fire dept.
No check equals no money for police dept.
No check equals no money for taxes
No check equals no money for goverment
No check equals no money for food
No check equals no money for armed forces
and they blame it on when the wind may blow !
Its true these power shut offs are creating a snowball effect that will take some time to recover. If it is left to run the course it’s going It’s going to set innocent families back economically. Many families are living pay check to pay check allready , it isn’t fair for them to suffer the consequences of poor political & business management.
During these power outages or shut offs due to wind, the elderly and the handycapped will suffer. Just imagine an elderly person with slight Alzhiemers living alone and having no electricity. Or the person with an electrical wheel chair or some electrical life support apparatus that needs electrical power to be charged or to operate ? If they have no family to look over them, what about them ?