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Scheduled power
outages in Northern
California begin
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Wednesday, October 9, 2019

At midnight local time (0700 UTC), United

States public utility Pacific Gas and
Electric Company (PG&E) began turning
off electricity for customers in the San
Francisco area of California. PG&E stated
it scheduled the blackouts in response to
forecasts for high winds amid dry
conditions. The aim is to reduce the risk of
wildfires. Nearly 800 thousand customers
were scheduled to be affected by the
shutoffs which were expected to last
through at least midday tomorrow.

Logo of Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Within the first four hours 185 thousand
customers were without power. According
to PG&E's schedule, by noon today over
half a million could be affected, at which
point phase two was planned to begin.
Phase two was planned to affect over two
hundred thousand customers. A phase
three was tentatively planned, but final
decisions were not yet made.

PG&E announced the schedule in a press

release late yesterday and followed it up
with a press conference last night. Sumeet
Singh, a vice president at PG&E, said "We
very much understand the inconvenience
and difficulties such a power outage would
cause". Company meteorologist Evan
Duffey said, "This is forecast to be the
strongest offshore wind event since
October 2017".

Senior vice president Michael Lewis

added, "The safety of our customers and
the communities we serve is our most
important responsibility, which is why
PG&E has decided to turn power off to
customers during this widespread, severe
wind event. We understand the effects this
event will have on our customers and
appreciate the public's patience as we do
what is necessary to keep our
communities safe and reduce the risk of
wildfire".

According to local news, school districts

across the area announced school
closings.

Sources
"186,000 without power in Northern
California as PG&E begins planned
power outages " — KGO-TV, October 9,
2019
"PG&E power shutoffs begin, affecting
513K in first wave " — KCRA-TV, October
 9, 2019
"PG&E Will Proactively Turn Off Power
for Safety to Nearly 800,000 Customers
Across Northern and Central California "
— PG&E, October 8, 2019

External links
"Public Safety Power Shutoff event "
— PG&E, Updated information

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