Local
PG&E moves up estimated power restoration for East Bay and North Bay customers
PG&E said some East Bay customers could regain electricity by about 4 p.m. Friday, with North Bay service potentially returning around 7 p.m. The shutoffs, prompted by wildfire concerns during hot, dry and potentially windy conditions, affected nearly 80,000 customers statewide.
Some East Bay residents affected by PG&E’s wildfire-prevention power shutoffs could see electricity restored around 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, earlier than the utility’s previous estimate of about 2 p.m. Saturday. PG&E also said North Bay customers could have power back around 7 p.m. Friday.
The utility’s outage map showed shutoff areas in parts of Contra Costa, Alameda, Sonoma and Napa counties. About 6,200 of the nearly 80,000 customers affected statewide were in the East Bay. PG&E described the event as its largest Public Safety Power Shutoff since 2020.
PG&E said it cut power to reduce the risk that electrical equipment could spark a wildfire amid hot, dry weather and forecasts of wind. Some customers questioned the decision, saying conditions where they live did not seem windy.
The restoration times are estimates, not guarantees. The shutoffs left thousands of Bay Area residents entering a second day without electricity as crews worked toward restoring service.