Twain Harte, CA — PG&E has now de-energized all areas intended to be impacted during the current Public Safety Power Shutoff.
That’s according to an update delivered to the county’s Office of Emergency Services this morning.
The company reported yesterday that the planned area covers around 7,200 customers in Tuolumne County, 10,700 in Calaveras County, and 1,300 in Mariposa County.
The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office, which oversees the county’s OES operations, reports that deputies patrolled the affected areas throughout the night and will continue throughout the day to support community safety and security during the outage.
The Sheriff’s Office adds, “Due to active Red Flag Warnings and the ongoing PSPS, local fire agencies have coordinated with Cal OES to pre-position five additional fire engines and support personnel from Tuolumne Rancheria Fire Department, Mi-Wuk Sugar Pine Fire Department, Tuolumne County Fire, and Twain Harte Fire District across Tuolumne County.”
We reported earlier that Summerville High and Summerville Elementary are both closed today due to no electricity.
The lack of power and electricity is putting a notable strain on the residents impacted. In addition, some businesses are forced to close due to a lack of electricity.
District Three Tuolumne County Supervisor Anaiah Kirk represents the region impacted (Tuolumne, Twain Harte, and up the Highway 108 corridor).
He tells Central Sierra Broadcasting that he is trying to get answers about how PG&E makes its decisions and the specific weather data utilized for this PSPS event. He says that while no one wants a major fire like what was witnessed in Paradise, there are questions that arise when people impacted walk outside to little or no wind.
Kirk’s full statement to Central Sierra Broadcasting from the radio interview can be heard by clicking below:
We also reached out to PG&E about Supervisor Kirk’s concerns, and PG&E spokesperson Jeff Smith indicated that he isn’t going to get into a “back-and-forth.” He stated, “PG&E’s focus remains on keeping our customers and communities safe and making sure customers have the information, resources, and support they need. Weather conditions will continue to evolve, and our teams will monitor conditions closely throughout the event, adjusting the scope and timing as needed….our team determined that portions of Tuolumne County had increased wildfire risk due to high winds, high humidity and dry conditions.”
He continued, “Although you may not live or work in a high fire-threat area or an area experiencing high winds, you may still experience a shut off for a PSPS event. Your electricity is delivered by lines that run hundreds of miles. Although your location may not be experiencing high winds, your power may be shut off if your home or business relies on a line that runs through an area with severe weather.”
