PG&E is monitoring a potential high wind event in targeted portions of 10 counties in the North Bay, South Bay, East Bay, Salinas Valley, San Joaquin Valley and Central Coast.  This weather is currently forecast to reach our service area at approximately 1 p.m. on  Wednesday, July 15.  Due to the combination of high winds with low relative humidity and dry fuel loads, PG&E is planning a public safety power shutoff that will affect approximately 7,800 customers in small portions of 10 counties.  

PG&E has activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and began sending advanced notifications Tuesday, July 14 to customers in targeted areas where PG&E may need to proactively turn power off for safety to reduce the risk of wildfire from energized powerlines. Here are the counties in the PSPS scope and the number of customers that have been notified in each county:

  • Alameda – 75 customers
  • Contra Costa – 70 customers
  • Fresno – 17 customers
  • Marin – 2,017 customers
  • Merced – 77 customers
  • Monterey – 3,083 customers
  • San Benito – 154 customers
  • Santa Barbara – 287 customers
  • San Joaquin – 33 customers
  • San Luis Obispo – 1,978 customers

PG&E initiates a PSPS when severe weather conditions pose a significant wildfire threat, even if local weather seems mild. This is because powerlines often travel through different regions, and the line serving an area might pass through a hazardous location. High winds, low humidity, and dry vegetation in these areas can necessitate a PSPS to ensure community safety.   

The duration and extent of power outages will depend on the weather in each area, as well as any damage and repairs that may be needed.  The decision to begin shutoffs is based on real-time weather conditions, and de-energizations may be delayed or cancelled. Changes in scope may also occur based on real-time conditions.    

We continue to improve our PSPS program to reduce the impact of outages on our customers by enhancing PSPS planning and preparation, including:

  • Expanding the use of energy storage systems that can power critical services, even when there is an outage.
  • Using technology to reduce the number of customers who lose power during a PSPS.
  • Automating notifications to ensure timely and precise information and communication to customers.
  • Expanding the resources available at Community Resource Centers (CRCs).
  • Reducing PSPS impacts with undergrounding and system upgrades, in some cases.

These updates have helped minimize customer impacts. For example, in 2019, PSPS outages impacted over 2 million total customers and in 2025, PSPS outages impacted approximately 18,000 total customers. PSPS events significantly avoid greater damages and impacts to PG&E customers and hometowns. For example, a Technosylva fire spread simulation showed that if the May 17-18, 2026 PSPS had not been initiated, up to 270,000 acres could have been impacted by wildfires. Additionally, during patrols of the de-energized circuits prior to restoring power in that event, PG&E found three incidents of wind-related damages and one hazard.