PG&E Works To Restore Power Amid Devastating North Bay Wildfires

NORTH BAY, CA – Pacific Gas and Electric Company is working to restore gas and electric service to thousands of customers left without power as wildfires burn throughout the North Bay.

About 53,000 electric customers are without service in the North Bay – with the majority of those in Sonoma County – and roughly 42,000 gas customers are without service in areas impacted by the wildfires, a PG&E spokesman said Wednesday afternoon.

A total of 249,000 customers were initially blacked out by the wildfires burning across Northern California, according to PG&E spokesman Jason King. After completing safety patrols of electric facilities and receiving CalFire's authorization, PG&E restored electrical service to about 20,000 customers overnight.

By 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, 53,000 customers systemwide remained without electricity, including 40,000 customers in Santa Rosa and 7,000 customers in Napa, King said.

In the coming days, PG&E plans to deploy nearly 800 crew members from across the utility company's service area to restore electricity, according to PG&E spokeswoman Deanna Contreras.

PG&E is also working to restore gas Wednesday for customers in Windsor, Contreras said. Gas restoration is slated to begin Thursday in Santa Rosa.

A total of 250 gas service representatives will be in the field Wednesday, Contreras said, joined by 100 more representatives from Southern California Gas Company and San Diego Gas & Electric.

First responders will grant permission to safely access areas affected by the Tubbs Fire, Contreras said, and PG&E will also access damage to its gas facilities.

PG&E crews cannot restore service and relight pilot lights until they gain access to customers' meters including those behind gates and locked in cabinets.

Crews will first shut off gas at the meter to test the line, then return to turn gas service back on at the meters, Contreras said.

Crews will the need to enter customers' homes to relight pilot lights. PG&E recommends customers allow the crews to relight pilot lights rather than attempt it themselves.

If contact is not made with customers during an initial door-to-door effort to relight pilot lights, PG&E will leave a contact card asking customers to call PG&E. Customers who want gas restored by PG&E should
call 1-800-743-5000.

Also see:

• Deadly Northern California Wildfires: 17 Dead; Thousands Of Structures Lost; 'Pure Devastation'
• Red Flag Warning, Wind Advisory Issued For North Bay
• SMART Train Continues Free Service For Third Day
• Charles M. Schulz Museum Closed Due To Wildfires, Power Outage

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.

Main photo: PG&E crews work to restore power near the Napa-Sonoma county line. Credit: Al Francis

Photo 2: Santa Rosa firefighters work on a fire on the side of a road near the Oakmont area in Santa Rosa, Calif., Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017. Credit: Jeff Chiu/Associated Press