Pacific Gas and Electric Company has confirmed that they will perform a Public Safety Power Shutoff to 32 counties in California including the City of Sonoma and Sonoma Valley. The Power Shutoff is anticipated to start starting late tonight, October 8, 2019, or early tomorrow morning, October 9, 2019. PG&E indicates it may take up to five days to restore power to all customers.
Due to a high volume of web traffic, PG&E’s website PGE.com/weather and toll-free number PG&E at 1-800-743-5009 may be unavailable.
In response to the potential power shutdown, the County of Sonoma has declared a State of Emergency. The County of Sonoma Department of Emergency Management is taking steps in preparation for a potential power loss. Sonoma County has provided a GIS map to see areas of Sonoma County that PG&E has indicated may lose power during the 10/8 power outage. View the interactive map »
The City of Sonoma is opening the Emergency Operations Center. The City has been working and preparing on the following measures to ensure that the City services will continue during an extended power outage and that we are ready to support our community:
- Police, Fire Stations, and Public Works facilities have permanent generator support and are ready to respond.
- The City water service will continue, even without electricity.
- Portable generators have been secured for City Hall and the Carnegie Building.
The City, in collaboration with the County of Sonoma, will be opening a Charging Center at the Sonoma Veteran’s Building that will provide places for the community to be able to plug in and recharge devices from 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM beginning Wednesday, October 9th. The potential loss of power for an extended period of time creates new challenges and uncertainty. Please take measures to prepare today including:
- Update contact information with energy companies to sign up for important outage alerts PG&E customers: pge.com/mywildfirealerts
- Fill up your vehicle(s) with fuel. In the event of a PSPS, gas pumps will likely be out of service.
- Power up cell phones and Identify backup charging methods for phones and keep hard copies of emergency numbers.
- Plan for any medical needs like medications that need to be refrigerated or devices that require power.
- Plan for the needs of pets and livestock.
- Build or restock emergency kits with flashlights, fresh batteries, first aid supplies and have cash on hand.
- Designate an emergency meeting location.
- Know how to manually open garage doors.
- Ensure any backup generators are ready to safely operate.
- Identify the unique needs of your family and loved ones in the area for your emergency plan.
The City has information for Sonoma residents and businesses to help prepare for a potential power shutoff on our Extended Power Outage webpage (http://www.sonomacity.org/extended-power-outages/) as part of the City’s Emergency Preparedness information where you can find more resources and information about PG&E’s PSPS program and ways you can better prepare for extended power outages.
Updates and information will be posted on the City’s website at www.sonomacity.org/emergency-updates