SAN FRANCISCO – Pacific Gas and Electric Co. could shut off power to 130,000 customers early Monday to reduce the risk of sparking wildfires amid dry conditions and high winds, the utility said.
As of Friday evening, the public safety power shutoff, or PSPS, was expected to affect customers in targeted portions of Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Lake, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Sierra, Sonoma, Tulare, Tuolumne and Yuba counties, as well as five tribal communities, PG&E said in a news release.
The utility said the highest probability areas for the shutoff are the Sierra foothills, North Bay mountains and portions of the Central Coast.
“This is not expected to be a widespread event in the Bay Area at this time,” PG&E said.
The utility said high winds are expected to arrive late Sunday and continue into Monday, peaking in strength during the day and possibly in some regions through early Tuesday.
Once the winds have died down, PG&E crews will patrol the de-energized lines to ensure they were not damaged. The utility said it will then aim to restore power to most customers within 12 daylight hours.
Check back for updates.
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