Half Moon Bay Power Outage: PG&E Starts Safety Shutdown

HALF MOON BAY, CA — The lights are now out for many residents around Half Moon Bay as PG&E continues with its public safety power shutoffs in Northern California amid high winds and increased fire conditions. Approximately 14,000 customers in San Mateo County were at risk of losing power, according to the utility company, but an exact figure of how many are without power on the Peninsula was not immediately available.

PG&E began implementing the preemptive power shutdowns just after midnight Wednesday in an effort to avoid sparking a wildfire during extreme weather and fire conditions. Nearly 800,000 customers in Northern and Central California were expected to be affected by the shutoffs.

Half Moon Bay is among more than a dozen San Mateo County communities that was forewarned of the power cuts. The outage comes in the second wave on the Bay Area; the first hit at midnight roughly and impacted 513,000 customers, the second was delayed multiple times on Wednesday, due to changing weather conditions, according to PG&E.

Half Moon Bay's eventually outage hit at 11:15 p.m., according to the PG&E outage map. The coastside outage stretched from just south of Gray Whale Cove State Beach, through Moss Beach, Half Moon Bay, San Gregario, Pescadero until Ano Nuevo State Park.

More than 13,000 customers are affected, the map indicates.

PG&E said the shutoff could affect these San Mateo County communities: Half Moon Bay, El Granada, Woodside, Moss Beach, Montara, Portola Valley, Pescadero, La Honda, Redwood City, San Gregorio, Loma Mar, San Mateo, Menlo Park, Emerald Hills, Pacifica, Princeton. (View a statewide list at PG&E's website.)

However, as of Thursday morning, it appeared not every community had an outage, with Menlo Park and San Mateo among those spared.

The outages could last longer than 48 hours, and the agency is recommending that households prepare for the possibility of several days without power. San Mateo County officials said residents may be without power for up to five days.

"Before restoring power, PG&E must inspect its equipment for damage and make any necessary repairs," the utility company said on Wednesday. "That process cannot begin until the severe weather event has subsided. Given the prolonged period during which the wind event will unfold, and the large number of power line miles that will need to be inspected before restoration, customers are being asked to prepare for an extended outage."

In San Mateo County, PG&E opened a "community resource center." Pasta Moon Restaurant, located at 845 Main Street in Half Moon Bay, is one of several locations around the Bay Area that was slated to open at 8 a.m. Wednesday. PG&E officials say these spots will remain open during daylight hours and provide access to restrooms, bottled water, electronic-device charging and air-conditioned seating for up to 100 people.

SEE ALSO: Hundreds Of Thousands Without Power In CA As PG&E Starts Power Shutdowns

Below is a map provided by PG&E of the some of the potential outages in the area. Though not all cities are highlighted on the map, they were listed as potentially being impacted under the San Mateo County warning.

#PSPS map of impacted area #SanMateoCounty (click to expand): PG&E expects to begin turning off pwr in some areas early Wed, just after midnight. The pwr will be turned off to communities in stages, depending on local timing of the severe wind conditions https://t.co/IXlboaSwKO pic.twitter.com/SDucYi7MY7
— PG&E (@PGE4Me) October 9, 2019

To check a specific address for a more accurate idea if you're affected, use PG&E's 'potential PSPS address lookup map' tool. However, be advised that the PG&E website was experiencing "a high volume of traffic" leading to delays, officials said.

Here's how PG&E customers can prepare for a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS):

• Update their contact information at pge.com/mywildfirealerts or by calling 1-866-743-6589 during normal business hours. PG&E will use this information to alert customers through automated calls, texts, and emails, when possible, prior to, and during, a Public Safety Power Shutoff.
• Plan for medical needs like medications that require refrigeration or devices that need power.
• Identify backup charging methods for phones and keep hard copies of emergency numbers.
• Build or restock your emergency kit with flashlights, fresh batteries, first aid supplies and cash.
• Review safety tips for backup generators if you plan to use one.
• Keep in mind family members who are elderly, younger children and pets. Information and tips including a safety plan checklist are available at pge.com/wildfiresafety.

During the outage, customers should:

• Keep freezers and refrigerators closed
• ·Monitor freezer and refrigerator temperatures with a thermometer.
• Use perishable food supplies first.· Use generators, stoves and grills outdoors away from windows.
• Disconnect electronics and appliances to avoid damage from electrical surges.
• Check on neighbors, animals and family.
• Drive safely and slowly as traffic signals may not be functioning properly.