This is a developing situation. Updated information will be published at the top of this article.
7/23/24 12:06 p.m. — As of 12:00 p.m. power has been restored. We have an inquiry in with PG&E to learn more as to why this outage has happened twice in a week. We will update this article accordingly.
MENDOCINO Co., 7/23/24 — For the third time in less than a week PG&E customers in Redwood Valley, Laughlin, Calpella and Potter Valley are without power. According to PG&E’s online outage website, 1,697 people are without power. That is the exact number of customers who were without power for hours last Thursday.
Today’s outage was first reported around 10:26 a.m. The cause is unknown, and PG&E reports “There is an unplanned outage in your area. Our team is evaluating the electrical system to identify damaged sections and make necessary repairs in order to safely turn the power back on.”
The outage comes during another heat wave, which resulted in the National Weather Service Eureka (NWS Eureka) issuing a heat warning for the area impacted by the outage. According to NWS Eureka, Redwood Valley could see temperatures as high as 107 degrees today. The lack of power impacts the ability for many residents to use air conditioning or fans, or to run pumps for wells.
It’s also impacting Coyote Valley Casino, where many locals go to cool off during hot weather.
Power is estimated to be restored by 5:15 p.m. PG&E power outages can be monitored here.
We have reached out to PG&E and are awaiting comment.
Here’s some tips from PG&E about power outages:
Safety Tips
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.
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.