Beatrice Lang
California has been experiencing an increasing number of intense and record-breaking wildfires, resulting in devastating loss of life and billions of dollars in property and infrastructure damage. To reduce the risk of fires caused by electrical infrastructure, utilities may temporarily turn off power to specific areas. This action is called a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS). PSPS events can leave communities and essential facilities without power, which brings its own risks and hardships, especially for vulnerable communities and individuals.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason | To prevent fires during high-wind conditions and to ease the strain on the power grid |
| Date | October 2019 |
| Affected Areas | Large parts of Northern California, including the San Francisco Bay Area |
| Number of People Affected | 500,000 |
| Companies Involved | Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE), Bear Valley Electric Service, Liberty Utilities, PacifiCorp |
| Action Taken | Planned power shut-offs, also known as Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) |
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What You'll Learn
To prevent wildfires
California has experienced record-breaking wildfires that have resulted in devastating loss of life and billions of dollars in property and infrastructure damage. To reduce the risk of fires caused by electric infrastructure, utilities may temporarily turn off power to specific areas. This action is called a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS).
During periods of high heat, electricity usage increases as people turn on their air conditioning. The grid has a fixed maximum output, and when people use a lot of electricity, they can overwhelm the grid. This can lead to unexpected power outages. To prevent this, utility managers may choose to shut off power in certain areas.
High winds can also cause power lines to be downed or branches to hit power lines, which could spark a wildfire. In these conditions, electric investor-owned utilities (IOUs) may proactively cut power to electrical lines as a last resort to protect public safety. While PSPS events may reduce the risk of utility-associated wildfires, they can leave communities and essential facilities without power, creating hardships, especially for vulnerable populations.
In California, the utility company Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) has implemented deliberate power shut-offs to lower the risk of fire while it works on its vegetation-trimming program. In 2019, PG&E cut power to 500,000 customers in Northern California, with a second round of cuts affecting 250,000 more customers in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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To prevent power lines from being downed
California has experienced record-breaking wildfires that have resulted in devastating loss of life and billions of dollars in property and infrastructure damage. To reduce the risk of fires caused by electric infrastructure, utilities may temporarily turn off power to specific areas. This action is called a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS).
High winds can topple power lines and cause major vegetation-related issues, increasing the risk of wildfires. In addition, when it gets too hot, the increased use of air conditioning can overload the power grid and cause a system shutdown. To prevent this, California sometimes implements rolling blackouts or rotating outages to ease the strain on the power grid.
In October 2019, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) cut electricity to 500,000 customers in Northern California as a precaution against sparking wildfires in high-wind conditions. A second round of cuts affecting 250,000 more customers in the hills surrounding the San Francisco Bay Area was also planned. PG&E described the deliberate power cuts as a way to lower the risk of fire while the company proceeds with its vegetation-trimming program.
Technicians will need to inspect "every inch" of the line before restoring power. This can take as long as five days.
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To avoid power outages in unexpected places
California has experienced record-breaking wildfires that have resulted in devastating loss of life and billions of dollars in property and infrastructure damage. Electric utility infrastructure has been responsible for roughly half of the most destructive wildfires in the state's history.
To reduce the risk of fires caused by electrical infrastructure, utilities may temporarily turn off power to specific areas. This action is called a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS). PSPS events can leave communities and essential facilities without power, which brings its own risks and hardships, especially for vulnerable communities and individuals.
During periods of high electricity demand, such as during heatwaves when many people turn on their air conditioning, the power grid can become overloaded and shut itself down. To prevent this from happening, utilities may initiate rolling blackouts to ease the strain on the grid.
By choosing specific areas to shut off, utility providers can prevent unexpected power outages in other areas. This strategy helps to ensure that the power demand does not exceed the maximum output capacity of the grid, which includes power lines, diesel generators, coal power plants, nuclear power, solar panels, and wind generators.
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To reduce the risk of fires caused by electric infrastructure
California has experienced record-breaking wildfires that have resulted in devastating loss of life and billions of dollars in property and infrastructure damage. Wildfires attributed to electrical infrastructure make up about half of the most destructive wildfires in California's history. To reduce the risk of fires caused by electric infrastructure, utilities may temporarily turn off power to specific areas. This action is called a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS).
PSPS events are implemented as a measure of last resort if the utility reasonably believes that there is an imminent and significant risk that strong winds may topple power lines or cause major vegetation-related issues, increasing the risk of wildfires. While PSPS events may reduce the risk of utility-associated wildfires, they can also leave communities and essential facilities without power, which brings its own risks and hardships, especially for vulnerable populations.
In 2012, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) ruled that specific sections of the California Public Utilities Code authorize electric investor-owned utilities (IOUs) to shut off power to protect public safety. This allows IOUs to proactively cut power to electrical lines to prevent wildfires. The state's largest power utility, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), has implemented PSPS events to lower the risk of fire while also working on its vegetation-trimming program.
PG&E's PSPS events have affected large parts of Northern California, including the San Francisco Bay Area. During these events, customers are urged to minimize water use and turn off irrigation systems. PG&E works with locations like hospitals to ensure they have an emergency plan in place. Re-energizing power lines after a PSPS event is a tricky process that requires technicians to inspect every inch of the line, which can take up to five days.
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To lower the risk of fires from AC usage
California has been experiencing intense and record-breaking wildfires, resulting in devastating loss of life and billions of dollars in property and infrastructure damage. In an attempt to lower the risk of fires from AC usage, California has implemented Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). During periods of high demand, such as heatwaves, AC usage can cause spikes in electricity demand. This can lead to an overload on the power grid, resulting in unexpected power outages.
To prevent the system from collapsing and reduce the risk of fires, utilities may temporarily turn off power to specific areas. This proactive measure ensures that power lines do not come down or experience vegetation-related issues, which could spark wildfires. While this may cause inconvenience and hardship to communities and essential facilities, it is deemed necessary to protect public safety.
The decision to implement PSPS is made by the state's investor-owned electric utilities, such as Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE), and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E). These utilities monitor conditions and make decisions based on the potential risk of wildfires.
To mitigate the impact of PSPS, California has implemented various measures, such as providing food resources, hotel assistance, and Customer Resiliency Kits. Additionally, public cooling centers offer safe, air-conditioned facilities during heatwaves to protect vulnerable individuals.
Overall, the decision to turn off electricity in California is a complex issue that involves balancing the need to prevent wildfires with the impact on communities and critical infrastructure. By implementing PSPS and providing support services, California aims to strike a balance between these important considerations.
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Frequently asked questions
California's electricity is being turned off in some areas to reduce the risk of fires caused by electric infrastructure. This action is called a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS).
A PSPS can be caused by a few factors. Firstly, heatwaves can cause spikes in electricity demand as people turn on their air conditioning. If the demand is high everywhere at once, there may not be enough capacity, leading to brownouts or blackouts. Secondly, high winds can increase the risk of wildfires if power lines are downed or branches hit power lines.
You can visit the CPUC Public PSPS Dashboard to look up whether an address has been impacted by a PSPS event since October 2021. You can also sign up to receive PSPS alerts via phone, email, or text.
During a PSPS, you can take advantage of essential services provided by the SCE Community Resource Centers and Community Crew Vehicles, such as Customer Resiliency Kits and the Hotel Assistance program. Public Cooling Centers also provide safe, air-conditioned facilities during heat waves.
