This is a developing situation and information may change. We’ll update this article as more information becomes available. The most recent information will be updated at the top of the article, with the earlier reports below.
5/2/23 4:50 p.m. — This morning’s outage was caused when a log that went loose during an unrelated logging operation interfered with a transmission line, PG&E spokesperson Megan McFarland told The Mendocino Voice this afternoon.
McFarland said that the company had been doing planned work on one transmission line, that was not expected to cause outages, when a log from a nearby but unrelated logging operation caused damage to another transmission line. McFarland said at that point, the company stopped the planned work, and switched to repairing the other transmission lines and shifting customers to parts of the grid that were working, noting that all power had been restored before 1 p.m. this afternoon.
McFarland, who was not on the site of the outage, did not specify which exact transmission line was impacted line, or provide additional information on what happened with the log, only stating it was an third party logging company at a different location and doing unrelated work to the PG&E planned work, but that PG&E responded once it happened.
5/2/23 1:29 p.m. — Power has been restored to over 15,000 PG&E customers on the Mendocino Coast and in Anderson Valley. In addition to the closures of Fort Bragg Unified Schools and Pacific Community Charter Schools, Anderson Valley Unified has also closed for the day.
5/2/23 11:09 a.m. — PG&E customers in the City of Fort Bragg are reporting that power is back on. Power has been restored in Westport, Rockport, and Anderson Valley. PG&E’s website states that over 3,000 customers on the Coast remain without power as of approximately 8:30 a.m. Tue. May 2. Power outage status can be monitored here.
MENDOCINO Co., 5/2/22 – Residents and businesses on the Mendocino Coast woke up to power outages from Westport to Point Arena and throughout Anderson Valley on Tue. May 2. As of 10 a.m., PG&E reports that 15,516 customers remain without power, but that crews are on the scene of the outage and the cause is under investigation.
The outage was first reported at 8:26 a.m., including over 9,000 customers in the City of Fort Bragg, including local businesses and schools.
As of 9:30 a.m. Fort Bragg Unified School District announced that students were being released early due to the outage, which is impacting all school sites. Minutes later, Pacific Community Charter School which serves Point Arena and Elk also announced an early closure.
PG&E power outages can be monitored here.
Here’s some tips from PG&E about downed power lines and other storm safety advice:
Safety Tips
- Never touch downed wires: If you see a downed power line, assume it is energized and extremely dangerous. Do not touch or try to move it—and keep children and animals away. Report downed power lines immediately by calling 911 and by calling PG&E at 1-800-743-5002.
- Use flashlights, not candles: During a power outage, use battery-operated flashlights, and not candles, due to the risk of fire. If you must use candles, please keep them away from drapes, lampshades and small children. Do not leave candles unattended.
- Have a backup phone: If you have a telephone system that requires electricity to work, such as a cordless phone or answering machine, plan to have a standard telephone or cellular phone ready as a backup.
- Have fresh drinking water, ice: Freeze plastic containers filled with water to make blocks of ice that can be placed in your refrigerator/freezer during an outage to prevent foods from spoiling. Blue Ice from your picnic cooler also works well in the freezer.
- Use generators safely: Customers with standby electric generators should make sure they are properly installed by a licensed electrician in a well-ventilated area. Improperly installed generators pose a significant danger to customers, as well as crews working on power lines. If using portable generators, be sure they are in a well-ventilated area.
- Turn off appliances: If you experience an outage, unplug or turn off all electrical appliances to avoid overloading circuits and to prevent fire hazards when power is restored. Simply leave a single lamp on to alert you when power returns. Turn your appliances back on one at a time when conditions return to normal.
- Safely clean up: After the inclement weather has passed, be sure to safely clean up. Never touch downed wires and always call 811 or visit 811express.com at least two full business days before digging to have all underground utilities safely marked.
