UPDATE: More Shasta County PG&E customers could see safety power shutoffs start today - Record Searchlight

UPDATE: More Shasta County PG&E customers may see safety power shutoffs

UPDATE: More Shasta County PG&E customers could see safety power shutoffs start today
Damon Arthur

UPDATE: 4:05 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 20

PG&E has increased estimates of the number of its customers who potentially could be impacted by a Public Safety Power Shutoff this week to about 5,200 PG&E customers, up by about 1,100 customers from estimates given on Tuesday, a statement from the electric utility said on Wednesday.

The roughly 1,100 additional customers are in the Tehama County communities of Mineral and Mill Creek and in Shasta County the area is south of Shingletown, according PG&E.

A PSPS event could begin as soon as 6 p.m. today in Igo and areas west of Anderson in Shasta County, with other areas to follow in the evening and very early Thursday morning.

Customers can get information about forecasted PSPS outages at their address by visiting www.pge.com/pspsupdates.

ORIGINAL STORY FROM SEPT. 19, 2023

With dry windy conditions expected Wednesday night and Thursday morning, some residents in Shasta and Tehama counties served by Pacific Gas and Electric Company could have their electricity shut off as a safety precaution.

PG&E officials said Tuesday as many as 1,500 customers in the areas of Igo, Oak Run, Round Mountain and Montgomery Creek could have their power shut off during the proposed public safety power shutoffs, PG&E said.

PG&E sometimes shuts down their electrical circuits when dry windy conditions are forecast, to prevent trees and other objects from coming into contact with power lines and igniting wildfires.

Winds could reach speeds of up to 30 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 40 mph, PG&E officials said. Power shutoffs could begin around 6 p.m. Wednesday and extend into Thursday morning.

Customers can look online to see if their power could be interrupted by going to www.pge.com/pspsupdates and entering their address.

The power shutoffs could affect up to 4,200 customers in 10 Northern California counties in the Sacramento Valley and surrounding foothills.

Another 1,117 customers could be affected in southwestern Tehama County, including the communities of Rancho Tehama and Flournoy, according to PG&E.

Reporter Damon Arthur welcomes story tips at 530-338-8834, by email at damon.arthur@redding.com and on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @damonarthur_RS. Help local journalism thrive by subscribing today!