Planned Election Day power outage in multiple California cities
By Bethan Sexton For Dailymail.Com
Published: 16:08 EST, 5 November 2024 | Updated: 16:17 EST, 5 November 2024
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Fury has erupted in California over proposed power outages which could plunge tens of thousands of people into darkness on Election Day.
Energy giant PG&E said it is planning blackouts across several cities due to an increased wildfire risk.
Several areas are preparing for tinderbox conditions, as gusts of up to 80mph are expected to meet with low humidity and dry vegetation over the next few days.
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PG&E said it will potentially shut off power to 22,000 people across 17 counties and four tribal areas in a bid to prevent wind-damaged appliances starting fires.
At least five polling stations fall within the parameters of the planned outage, but PG&E said if a shut off is required, it would be done after in-person voting has ended.
Fury has erupted in California over proposed power outages on Election Day which have been planned due to an increased wildfire risk. Pictured: A PG&E outage in Lafayette in 2019
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Fury has erupted in California over proposed power outages on Election Day which have been planned due to an increased wildfire risk. Pictured: A PG&E outage in Lafayette in 2019
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No tabulation centers will be impacted, meaning the move will not impact the count.
However the decision is likely to still cause havoc for thousands of Californians who would usually be glued to their screens awaiting the results of this year's presidential election.
Most of those affected will be the Western Sacramento Valley, the North Bay and in the elevated terrain of the East Bay, according to the energy provider.
The potentially affected polling stations are two in Vacaville and one in Fairfield, Solano County, as well as a center in Middeltown, Lake County and one in Los Gatos, Santa Clara County.
The decision has sparked a huge backlash and suggestions the move is politically motivated.
'They can't postpone this for one freeking day?' One person fumed on X, formerly Twitter.
'This is outrageous. There are actually a lot of republicans out here in California that want to vote for Trump. How can this planned outage by PG &E immediately be fixed?' Another person wrote.
'PG&E has a planned outage on Election Day. Strange how they can get away with that. Maybe not so strange after all,' Another added.
PG&E has announced it will potentially shut off power to 22,000 people across 17 counties and four tribal areas in a bid to prevent wind-damaged appliances starting fires. Pictured: An Oakland wildfire in September
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PG&E has announced it will potentially shut off power to 22,000 people across 17 counties and four tribal areas in a bid to prevent wind-damaged appliances starting fires. Pictured: An Oakland wildfire in September
At least five polling stations fall within the parameters of the planned outage, but PG&E said if a shut off is required, it would be done after in-person voting has ended
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At least five polling stations fall within the parameters of the planned outage, but PG&E said if a shut off is required, it would be done after in-person voting has ended
'We know losing power is disruptive any day of the year, and especially on such an important day as today,' said Mark Quinlan, PG&E senior vice president, Wildfire, Emergency and Operations.
'We've been preparing for Election Day for over a month and are taking extraordinary measures to prevent outages at voting and tabulation centers, and pre-staging resources to quickly restore any service outages.
'Free and fair elections are a hallmark of our democracy, and we're ready and proud to do our part to ensure that happens.'
The decision comes as California faces its most heightened wildfire risk so far this year.
Forecasters have issued a red flag warning critical fire weather conditions from 11am Tuesday through 7am Thursday for the majority of the Bay Area and higher elevations of the Central Coast.
'We have a low-pressure system dropping into the Four Corners region and then eventually into the desert Southwest,' Roger Gass, a forecaster with the National Weather Service, told SF Gate.
'The pressure gradient is going to support gusty offshore winds.'
Forecasters have issued a red flag warning critical fire weather conditions from 11am Tuesday through 7am Thursday for the majority of the Bay Area
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Forecasters have issued a red flag warning critical fire weather conditions from 11am Tuesday through 7am Thursday for the majority of the Bay Area
The low-pressure weather system is known as an 'inside slider'. They differ from storms which roll in off the Pacific Ocean as they are known to travel across land and increase winds.
A weaker insider slider breezed through California on Sunday, drying out the vegetation and making the landscape more vulnerable to wildfires when the next set of winds hit.
Residents in affected areas are being advised to prepare for potential evacuations and monitor alerts.
'The combination of the aforementioned winds and humidity will translate to fires exhibiting a large resistance to control and thereby creating a hazardous and extreme wildfire environment,' the NWS San Francisco said.
'Fire crews and residents are urged to remain abreast of the weather forecast over the next couple of days.'
A combination of high winds, low humidity and dry vegetation has contributed to the increase wildfire risk. Pictured: Aviation crew help to put out the Bridge Fire, in the Angeles National Forest on September 13, 2024
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A combination of high winds, low humidity and dry vegetation has contributed to the increase wildfire risk. Pictured: Aviation crew help to put out the Bridge Fire, in the Angeles National Forest on September 13, 2024
But the decision to plan power outages has been met with skepticism by some Californians
But the decision to plan power outages has been met with skepticism by some Californians
The Golden State is in the midst of wildfire season and has already been ravaged by nearly 7,300 wildfires this year.
Almost a million acres have been burned, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
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