PG&E Warns of Coming Heatwave But Says No Public Safety Power Shutoffs Expected

Heatwave, hot temperature featurePress release from PG&E:

After unseasonably cool weather in parts of Northern and Central California over the past few weeks, the first true heat wave of summer arrives this week.

Temperatures are forecast to begin climbing on Wednesday (June 16) through the weekend. Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) in-house meteorologists say that a strong area of high pressure will develop over the desert Southwest this week resulting in a warming trend that will see triple-digit heat return. Daytime maximums could top out in the 105 to 110-degree range through the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys with 90s to near 100 degrees possible across inland Bay Area valleys.

If the elevated heat leads to outages, PG&E has a plan to address any issues that come from the high temperatures and crews monitoring the situation are ready to respond. We encourage customers to be prepared, stay cool and hydrated and practice safety by developing an emergency plan and checking in on neighbors.

The California Independent Operator, which runs the state’s grid, issued a heat bulletin on Friday, June 11. “Although no outages or other power disruptions are anticipated right now,” CAISO says, it issued the bulletin “to prepare the public for possible stressed grid conditions caused by extreme hot weather.”  CAISO has told all generators to defer maintenance next Wednesday to Friday. To review tips on conserving energy and sign up for notifications from CAISO, visit FlexAlert.org.

 

Energy conservation tips

Here are ways for customers to reduce energy use during hours when grid-demand peaks.:

  • Adjust your thermostat to 78 degrees or higher, after cooling your home to below-normal levels in the morning. Turn it off if you will be away from home. Use a fan instead of air conditioning when possible.
  • Draw drapes and turn off unnecessary lighting.
  • Limit the opening of refrigerators, which is a major user of electricity in most homes. The average refrigerator is opened 33 times a day.
  • Keep refrigerator full (with bottles of water if nothing else) and unplug your second refrigerator if you have one.
  • Avoid using the oven. Instead, cook on the stove, use a microwave or grill outside.
  • Set your pool pump to run overnight instead of during the day.

Outage safety tips

And here are ways for customers to stay safe if outages occur:

  1. Have flashlights, radios and fresh batteries ready.
  2. Use battery-operated flashlights, not candles, which pose a fire hazard.
  3. Unplug or turn off all electric and heat-producing appliances (e.g., air conditioners, washers and dryers, ovens, stoves, irons) to avoid overloading circuits. Overloaded circuits can be a fire hazard once power is restored.
  4. Unplug televisions and computers that were in use when the power went out.
  5. Leave a single lamp on to alert you when power returns.
  6. Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed, and place extra containers of ice inside to preserve food. A full freezer will remain colder longer.
  7. Notify your alarm company if you have an alarm system. Equipment can be affected by outages.
  8. Keep important numbers (e.g., hospital, fire department, police, friends, relatives) near the phone.
  • Gather non-perishable food that doesn’t require cooking, as well as a manual can opener.
  • If you have a generator, make sure a licensed electrician properly installs it. Improperly installed generators pose a significant danger to our crews.

Although we do not anticipate initiating any Public Safety Power Shutoff events over the next seven days, being prepared remains important. For more tips on how to stay safe and save energy, visit pge.com/summer.

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Bozo
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Bozo
2 years ago

Hmmm… in the near future… California will add 25 million electric cars to the mix.
5 million electric semi trucks and AG tractors.

Good thing the Wiyots/Greenies quashed the windmills.
The oncoming Wiyot/Greenie fight will be to kill the planned offshore windmills. (It’s bad for the whales !)

Don Matta
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Don Matta
2 years ago
Reply to  Bozo

There are FAR Better place to put Windmills, just as easily or more accessible, easily found if one looks!!!

Bozo
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Bozo
2 years ago
Reply to  Don Matta

I suspect that meteorologists had spent a lot of time evaluating the wind flow in Northern California.

Do you have a ‘secret’ site ???

Brian (not the real)
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Brian (not the real)
2 years ago

It is something I have given thought to. If we don’t have a grid to keep people comfortable with a service they pay outrageously for during hot weather, how much sense does it make to force people into electric vehicles. How much would rates be increased because of ‘over use’. How about being stuck in a fire because your battery died. Charging stations in rural areas? How about the environmental degradation mining lithium. I suppose as far as they are concerned as long as it not in their backyard. Another classic example of govt stupidity putting the baby before the carriage. I am all for trying to reduce emissions. I live off grid go to town every two to 3 weeks and use about 15 gallons of fuel a month but let’s be real. How much pollution does the president governor and elites no matter which side of the isle put out galavanting the world and living in stupid huge mansions. Cruise ships, airplanes? Maybe they should ‘lead’ by example. Another situation of do what ‘master’ says not does.

Farce
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Farce
2 years ago

This led to the prevalent use of the guillotine. The guillotine was invented to make the necessary process more humane. It was actually a more compassionate way on the road to freedom and equality. Early Americans cheered on the French people in their quest…

Lone Ranger
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Lone Ranger
2 years ago

That is Joes big green plan, price the poor out of fuel while we keep buying politicians all they can burn, its stupendous plan. Those politicians are so environmentally conscious, they must be saints, we are so lucky to have them looking out for us.