Update: Heat Spurs Another Power Outage In Phoenix Lake

Update at 12:16 pm: PG&E reports that the power outage in Phoenix Lake is now restored.

Original 8:12 am: Sonora, CA — The hot temperatures are being blamed for a pair of PG&E power outages in the Phoenix Lake area over the past 24 hours.

582 PG&E customers lost power Wednesday morning, and the exact same customers are without electricity again this morning.

Yesterday’s outage lasted for a few hours. The new outage started at 7:29 am today and PG&E is hoping to have full restoration by noon.

PG&E representative Jeff Smith reports that both outages are related to transformers and the recent heat wave.

He says, “Transfer failure is generally the top cause of heat-related outages. Transformers (devices that help distribute power to homes and businesses) need periods of time when they can cool down, and that usually happens overnight, when temperatures drop. When we have unusual heat events with sustained high overnight temperatures (like we saw last night), transformers are unable to cool down. That puts stress on the transformer’s components, and they can become fatigued and can fail. And that’s what we are seeing.”

It is impacting many customers around the Phoenix Lake Estates, including parts of Paseo De Los Portales Road, Paseo De Los Robles Road, El Oso Way, Montgomery Road, Yerba Santa Road, and Camino Del Parque Road. Further up Phoenix Lake Road, it is impacting Old Oak Ranch Road, Redwood Way, and Five Mile Creek Road.