PG&E is hosting a webinar tomorrow for residents of Humboldt, Trinity and Siskiyou counties to hear details of its Community Wildlife Safety Program and plans for making any needed Public Safety Power Shutoffs “smaller in size, shorter in length and smarter for customers.” Humboldt was plunged into darkness twice in October when wildfire dangers in […]
PG&E
Posted inNews (NCJ)
Blue Lake Rancheria’s Microgrid Efforts Make HuffPost
A HuffPost story published today on the role microgrids play in keeping the lights on during natural disasters — focusing mainly on a community located on the Bay of Bengal in the wake of a cyclone — gives a cameo appearance to the Blue Lake Rancheria’s efforts. The story describes the Rancheria’s microgrid system — […]
Posted inNews (NCJ)
PG&E Pleads Guilty to 85 Counts of Involuntary manslaughter, agrees to pay $25.5B to Camp Fire Victims, T-S Reports
The Times-Standard is reporting that PG&E has pleaded guilty to 85 counts of involuntary manslaughter and has agreed to pay $25.5 billion to Camp Fire victims. Read the full story here.
Posted inNews (NCJ)
Parts of Humboldt Going Off-Grid in ‘Islanding’ Test, Outages Possible
PG&E announced today it will conduct a test run of “islanding” the Humboldt County power plant Saturday morning. If successful, it would mark a significant step forward in isolating the region when Public Safety Power Shutoffs are needed in nearby counties. That, of course, was a major reason the county was plunged into darkness twice […]
Posted inNews (NCJ)
California Climate Credit Lowers PG&E Bills Amid COVID-19 Financial Woes
If you’re seeing a lower charge on your PG&E utility bill, it’s because of the California Climate Credit, part of California’s efforts to fight climate change. Twice a year, the credit is applied to utility companies that are regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) Co. customers usually receive […]
Posted inNews (NCJ)
Newsom, PG&E Strike Deal to End Company’s Bankruptcy
In the middle of a pandemic, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed off on Pacific Gas and Electric Corp.’s $57.65 billion bankruptcy reorganization plan Friday, after winning shareholder concessions and governance changes that he declared would be “the end of business as usual” for the state’s largest utility. The company agreed to a number of changes, notably […]
Posted inNews (NCJ)
PG&E Suspends Shutoffs for People Who Can’t Pay Bills Amid COVID-19 Fallout
Six utilities serving more than 21 million Californians have announced that they will not shut off customers’ power for non-payment as the coronavirus continues to disrupt daily life. Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas & Electric, San Diego Gas & Electric and Pacific Power are taking the step until further notice. The Los Angeles Department of […]
Posted inNews (NCJ)
UDPATE: Outage Due to Down Transmission Line, PG&E Says Restoration Likely by Late Morning
UPDATE: According to the Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services, PG&E has confirmed that the cause of this morning’s widespread power outage is a transmission line impacted by winter weather. “PG&E has stated that restoration work has already begun and that most of Humboldt County should regain power by mid-late morning,” OES wrote in a […]
Posted inNews (NCJ)
Top 10 Stories of 2019
Does it feel like 2019 was about seven years of news cycles crammed into 365 short days? That can’t be just us. In Humboldt County, it was a year filled with conflict and hope, discord and solidarity, miracle and tragedy. As we collectively turn the page to a new year and a new decade, here’s […]
Posted inNews (NCJ)
Thousands Could Face Days Without Power as Temperatures Plummet
Thousands of Humboldt County residents woke up on this frosty Thanksgiving morning still without power and many are looking at several more nights in the dark. A scattering of outages continues in the region after a so-called “bomb cyclone” hit Tuesday and Wednesday, leaving a swath of damage, including downed trees and power lines. While […]
Posted inNews (NCJ)
North Coast Night Lights: Lights Out in Eureka During the PSPS of 10/27/19
When the PG&G Public Safety Power Shutoff of Oct. 27 cast its shadow on Humboldt County, the chance to explore Eureka in light of the unusual darkness was irresistible. Just 16 days earlier I’d had the opportunity to traipse around a darkened Arcata and capture some unusual images of the city under the light of […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
The Donbass Saga
A recent essay on the Clarke Historical Museum’s website about how Eureka came to be electrified attracted a single, terse comment: “Nothing beats the story of the Donbass.” Although the essay didn’t mention the Donbass, old-timers will surely know what’s being referred to. It’s quite a tale. Prior to Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Roosevelt wanted […]