PG&E Currents
| 12.20.22

PG&E Crews Respond to Humboldt County Earthquake

PG&E Currents

Update: 12/21 - 6:27 PM

PG&E has restored electric power to essentially all of the approximately 70,000 customers who lost service as a result of Tuesday’s magnitude 6.4 earthquake and who could receive electric power. As part of our ongoing response to the earthquake, gas crews will be in the area conducting safety surveys and inspections of gas infrastructure. If you have questions or concerns, contact PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.

Update: 12/21 - 1:26 PM

PG&E crews have restored another 10,000 electric customers, and planning to have the remaining 2,100 restored by 3 p.m.

Update: 12/21 - 11:14 AM

PG&E remains on schedule to have essentially all electric customers restored by 3 p.m. or sooner as crews inspect the last transmission sections for safety before re-energizing.

Update: 12/21 - 8:39 AM

PG&E plans to have nearly all customers restored today by 3 p.m. , having already restored more than 50,000 customers who lost service from yesterday’s Humboldt earthquake. Watch for further updates as restoration continues throughout the day.

Update: 12/20 - 7:38 PM

PG&E crews in Humboldt County have restored power to about 40,000 customers, more than half of those who experienced outages resulting from this morning’s magnitude 6.4 earthquake. Watch for further updates as restoration continues overnight and tomorrow.

Update: 12/20 - 5:09 PM

Crews in Humboldt County have so far restored electric power to approximately 20,000 customers who experienced outages resulting from this morning’s magnitude 6.4 earthquake. Watch for further updates as restoration continues.

Update: 12/20 - 3:28 PM

Crews in Humboldt County have restored power to about 10,000 customers who experienced outages resulting from this morning’s magnitude 6.4 earthquake. Watch for further updates as restoration continues.

Update: 12/20 - 2:25 PM

Our crews have completed initial transmission inspections following this morning’s earthquake in Humboldt County. Watch for updates as we begin to restore service to our customers and hometowns in the area.

Update: 12/20 - 12:10 PM

The safety of our customers, employees, contractors and the communities we serve is PG&E’s most important responsibility. 

PG&E has initiated its emergency response plan and crews are responding to gas and electric hazards in Humboldt County following a magnitude 6.4 earthquake and aftershocks early this morning. 

We urge our customers to use extreme caution around heavily-damaged buildings and to be prepared for further aftershocks that can create more destruction and hazards. Customers should report damaged electric and gas lines from a safe location to PG&E’s toll-free line at 1-800-743-5002.

Electric Asset Information and Restoration 

Estimated time of electric restoration is approximately 12-24 hours from initial event.

Restoration steps include:  

  • Inspect – Our crews are conducting visual inspections from the ground for potential damage to the lines, poles and towers. Inspections by air will begin weather permitting, with no restoration expected prior to assessment. During earthquakes or when there is widespread damage, it is more challenging to predict actual restoration times. There could be issues accessing our equipment due to hazards or heavily-damaged buildings and roads or damage to our facilities could be widespread.  
  • Repair – Where equipment damage is found, PG&E crews work to isolate the damaged area from the rest of the system so other parts of the system can be restored. 
  • Restore – Once the poles, towers and lines are safe to energize, PG&E’s Control Center can complete the process and restore power to affected areas. Restoration is prioritized for critical customers such as hospitals, telecom and water districts. The largest outages are restored first to get the highest number of customers restored quickly.
  • Notify Customers – Customers are notified that power has been restored.

 Gas Response

  • We are conducting leak surveys in affected areas.
  • We are using the state-of-the-art Picarro Surveyor™ -- a vehicle-mounted methane-detection technology that is 1,000 times more sensitive than traditional equipment. It measures methane in parts per billion and can detect microscopic traces of methane.
  • Additional support crews are on their way to Humboldt County, including approximately five dozen gas employees supporting leak surveys and safety inspections.

 

Follow these guidelines to stay safe after an earthquake occurs:

  • Make sure everyone around you is safe.
  • Inspect your building for damage. If you think that gas is leaking, don’t use anything electric. The spark can ignite the gas. Electrical items include switches, appliances and telephones.
  • Evacuate the building if you think a gas line is broken. Find a phone away from the building and call 9-1-1 immediately, then call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000. Turn off the gas service shutoff valve typically located near the gas meter, if it’s safe to do so.
  • Evacuate the building if leaking gas starts to burn. Do not try to put the flame out. Call 9-1-1 immediately and then call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000. Turn off the gas service shutoff valve typically located near the gas meter, if it’s safe to do so.
  • Avoid turning off your home’s gas without a clear sign that it is leaking. It may take PG&E longer than usual to visit your home or business to do a safety check and turn your gas services back on if many customers are impacted.
  • Check for downed or damaged electric utility lines. Stay away from downed or damaged power lines and never touch them. Downed wires can still carry current and can shock, injure or even kill if touched.
  • Check for damaged household electrical wiring. Shut off the power at the main electric switch if you suspect any damage. If your power goes out, turn off all electric appliances and unplug major electric appliances. This action helps prevent possible damage to the appliances when the power is restored.