PG&E deploys largest-ever power shutoff, but responsibility for Kincade Fire now in question

Dive Brief:

Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) has restored power to 30,000 customer accounts, the utility said Sunday, but recovery efforts continue following a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) event that likely impacted 3 million people over the weekend.
The shutoff is the utility's largest yet, but PG&E also reported a transmission line failure near the origins of last week's Kincade Fire, which was still burning Monday morning.
The potential connection sent the utility's shares below $4, their lowest trade price ever. The Kincade fire has consumed around 50,000 acres and destroyed 79 structures.

Dive Insight:

PG&E employees were out in force over the weekend and will resume surveying the utility's system at sunrise this morning, in the wake of high-wind conditions that saw gusts as high as 102 mph. Ultimately, 965,000 customers were caught up in the PSPS, and another 100,000 lost power for other reasons.

The utility said Sunday that it had begun safety patrols and inspections in several counties where conditions warranted. PG&E said it will aim to restore power within 48 hours, "but given the significance of this high-wind event ... the damage may be significant, requiring additional time and resources."

The utility saw winds exceed 100 mph at one of its weather stations, and exceed 60 mph in at least 10 areas.

"More than 6,000 on-the-ground field personnel have been deployed and 45 helicopters are staged in the impacted areas," the utility said in a statement. "Helicopter inspections may be impacted by the Kincade firefighting efforts in Sonoma County."

The utility also warned of the potential for an additional widespread PSPS for Tuesday and Wednesday, due to a "potentially strong, widespread dry offshore wind event." PG&E said up to 35 counties could be impacted. 38 of California's 58 counties were impacted by the latest PSPS.

The utility said it is working to restore power to customers, but "due to the dynamic and changing weather conditions, and high fire risk, some customers who are currently out of power may remain out throughout the duration of the next potential PSPS event."