PG&E moved forward with shutting off power Tuesday night in several Northern California counties amid increased fire danger.
The latest public safety power shutoff (PSPS) was slated to impact about 51,000 customers in parts of 18 counties, including Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
Here's a look at the scope and the timing for the power shutoff in the Bay Area counties, according to PG&E.
| County | Estimated Customers Impacted | Estimated Shutoff Start Time | Estimated Restoration Time |
| Alameda | 18 | 10 p.m. Tuesday - 12 a.m. Wednesday | TBA |
| Contra Costa | 334 | 6 p.m. Tuesday - 12 a.m. Wednesday | TBA |
| Napa | 6,849 | 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. Tuesday | TBA |
| Solano | 1,093 | 6 p.m. - 10 p.m. Tuesday | TBA |
| Sonoma | 1,864 | 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Tuesday | TBA |
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Below is a map that shows the areas likely to be impacted.
PSPS Outages Map
A planned power shutoff by PG&E is expected to affect customers in several Northern California counties. This general outline shows where the outages are expected to happen beginning the night of Aug. 17, 2021.
To see if your home or business is affected by the shutoff, look up your address here.
Data: PG&E
If you'd like to see if your address will be affected by the power shutoff, you can use PG&E's address lookup tool.
In Calistoga Tuesday night, gas pumps were shut down and homes were in the dark.
“A new normal is generators,” said Genevieve Welsh. “That's for sure.”
She relied on a generator to get her family through the planned shutoffs.
“By turning off our power lines when the winds are high and we have drought conditions we hope to prevent a wildfire from starting,” said PG&E spokesperson Tamar Sarkissian.
The same winds prompting the power shutoffs will create another challenge, blowing smoke into the Bay Area.
“The first thing is if the temperatures allow you to keep your windows and doors shut,” said Aaron Richardson of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. “If there's smoke in the neighborhood we really recommend buying an air purifier and setting up a clean air room.”
Weather "all clears" could be given Wednesday, which would allow crews to begin power restoration, PG&E said.
PG&E's Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer Marlene Santos issued the following statement:
“With these high winds and extremely dry climate conditions, we are focused on customer and community safety. It’s never an easy decision to turn off the power for safety, but it is the right thing to do to keep everyone safe. We understand how disruptive and inconvenient it is to lose power. The sole focus of a PSPS is to keep our customers safe. As soon as this extreme weather passes, our crews will be inspecting our equipment and the vegetation around it, making repairs and restoring power as soon as it’s safe to do so. In the face of extreme and exceptional drought, we must do everything possible to protect lives, homes and businesses. We are incredibly grateful to our customers for their patience as we take the necessary steps to reduce the risk of wildfire across our service area."
