To Reduce Wildfires, PG&E to Pull Plug on Customers
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) filed a wildfire mitigation plan on February 6th, 2019. In it, the company said it may proactively cut off power during wildfire conditions. PG&E, which serves 16 million Californians, stated that up to 5.4 million Californians could be affected. It's also worth noting that 2018 was the first time in its history that PG&E preemptively shut off power.
How do you prepare for a sudden lack of power? Since no one, including PG&E, knows what this really means, the following precautions should be taken when faced with the potential of a PG&E shutdown:
- Store water in your bath tub when wildfire dangers are high
- Store water in jugs; one gallon per day per person is recommended
- Have a portable generator - if possible
- Have a hand crank radio/charger
- Have a battery backup device if loss of power can be life threatening
- Store extra food that doesn't require refrigeration
https://www.wsj.com/articles/to-reduce-wildfires-pg-e-to-pull-plug-on-customers-11549511835