Beginning in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Oct. 9, a “diablo” wind event prompted PG&E to initiate the shutoff, which resulted in loss of power for 738,000 customers, spanning 35 counties.
It is estimated that greater than two million Californians were without power for some portion of this four-day event.
With 44 helicopters deployed to check lines once winds subsided, PG&E reports power was restored for most customers within 48 hours of the all-clear that came on Thursday, Oct. 10.
Power began to come on in parts of Lake County on Thursday and Friday. PG&E said all power had been restored across the public safety power shutoff area by Saturday afternoon.
On Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 11 a.m., the Lake County Board of Supervisors will receive public comment on the effects of the public safety power shutoff.
For those who can’t make the meeting, they are asked to email comments by 5 p.m Monday, Oct. 21, to
“Every populated area of Lake County was affected by this highly unfortunate event. Many District 4 residents reached out to me, directly, to share their stories and concerns, and I am aware my fellow supervisors got many similar calls,” said Board Tina Scott.
“We all received general notice the power may periodically be shut off, to reduce the probability of wildfire, and the county shared many resources to help residents prepare. However, with many individuals and families and our county government facing severe economic hardship, it simply wasn’t possible for every household to have a generator. There were also complications for individuals and groups that could not have been fully anticipated,” Scott said.
Scott said that if public safety power shutoffs are to be a new normal in California, the state and PG&E need to well understand the consequences, and the unique challenges for individuals with medical needs in rural communities, where some may need to travel a considerable distance just to reach a PG&E Community Resource Center.
The shutoff also affected county operations and finances, at a time of fiscal crisis, according to County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson.
“Lake County residents are all too familiar with natural disasters, and we have always worked hard to enable reimbursement of related costs, for residents and the government alike, as facilitated by the Stafford Act and other legislation,” said Huchingson. “Because a public safety power shutoff is a planned event, and not categorically a disaster, many hours of staff time and other expenses incurred by the county may never be reimbursed. This is not a norm that is acceptable.”
“We need to hear from you,” said Scott. “How were you affected by the public safety power shutoff? What did it mean for your family, your business? What were the costs? While options may be limited because this is not a qualifying disaster event, I can assure you our board and county staff will vigorously advocate for Lake County’s needs.”