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Utility Begins Restoring Power After Wildfire Threat Prompts Massive Outages
The unprecedented move by Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to cut power across large swaths of Northern California starting on Wednesday left millions of customers in the dark about how to stay warm and keep food from spoiling, while finding ways to stay connected even as cell phone batteries died. The large-scale preventive outages by the state’s largest utility resulted in the closure of businesses and schools, stores scrambled to operate even at minimum levels, and hospital’s shifted to back-up power generators.
The decision to shut off power to more than two million Californians was the largest power shut-off to date, and an effort by the utility to reduce wildfire risks. Recent fires in the state have been tied to equipment malfunctions. The utility, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this year, has faced legal claims stemming from fires.
PG&E reported Thursday morning that improving weather conditions in some parts of the areas affected by the Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) have allowed for safety inspections, repairs and restoration in some areas to begin. The San Francisco-based utility company said power to roughly 126,000 customers was restored by 6 a.m. Thursday. There were still currently approximately 600,000 customers without power as a result of the PSPS event, which began on early Wednesday.
PG&E’s Michael Lewis, Senior Vice President, Electric Operations said, “We faced a choice between hardship or safety, and we chose safety. We deeply apologize for the inconvenience and the hardship, but we stand by the decision because the safety of our customers and communities must come first.”
Dangerous weather conditions were expected to continue in parts of the Sierra Foothills and Bay Area until midday Thursday. Similar conditions in Kern County are beginning late morning Thursday and lasting through midday Friday.
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