Ahead of potentially dangerous conditions that could lead to wildfires, Pacific Gas and Electric Co. is warning of possible public safety power shutoffs affecting a small number of customers across a wide swath of Northern and Central California beginning as early as Thursday night.
The utility, blamed for sparking several wildfires across the region including the deadliest blaze in state history, said Tuesday it was preparing for the potential of engineered outages amid forecasts of gusty northerly winds, extremely dry conditions and warm weather through the weekend.
As many as 28,000 customers could be affected through the weekend, PG&E said in a statement Tuesday night after activating its PSPS advisory page .
“Given the forecasted strong winds and current dry vegetation conditions, PG&E has begun sending advanced notifications to customers — via text, email, and automated phone call — in targeted areas where power may need to be proactively shut off for safety to reduce wildfire risk,” the utility said in a statement. “The duration and extent of power outages will depend on the weather in each area, and not all customers will be affected for the entire period.”