PG&E Drone Inspections Underway Near Alderpoint Following Recent Power Outages

PG&E drone in the air. [Stock photo by Ryan Hutson]

According to Brad Allwine, Field Supervisor for CES Utility Solutions — a contractor for PG&E — several drone crews are inspecting distribution poles serving homes and farms in Southern Humboldt. “These flights are solely for the inspection of these distribution poles going to local residents and farms so that we can determine if there is a hardware or equipment failure that’s causing the outages,” Allwine explained.

PG&E’s contractor crews are conducting the inspections using small, unmanned aircraft to safely survey power lines in rural and forested terrain that’s often difficult to reach on foot. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has been notified of the activity.

Allwine said the goal of notifying the public is to reduce confusion and prevent negative encounters with drone pilots. “We’d love to get this information out to help minimize any bad interactions with our pilots, especially in this sensitive time of year,” he said.

Residents with questions about the drone flights may contact Allwine directly at 360-809-3407 or by email at [email protected].