Latest: PG&E turns off power in portions of 15 counties in Northern California – SFGate

PG&E is considering shutting off power to some California customers to mitigate wildfire risk.

PG&E is considering shutting off power to some California customers to mitigate wildfire risk.

PG&E is considering shutting off power to some California customers to mitigate wildfire risk.

PG&E is considering shutting off power to some California customers to mitigate wildfire risk.

Latest: PG&E warns a wind event on Saturday may require more power shutoffs

LATEST, Oct. 24, 7 a.m.: To reduce the risk of wildfires sparking amid dry and windy weather, PG&E has shut off power to roughly 179,000 customers in 16 counties in the Sierra Foothills and North Bay Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, San Mateo, Sierra, Sonoma, Tehama and Yuba.

About 1,000 customers in portions of San Mateo counties saw the lights go out around 1 a.m. Thursday.

As soon as PG&E meteorologists say the winds have calmed, ground crews will begin inspecting equipment and the restoration will begin. The utility expects to get the all-clear around noon Thursday.

PG&E said in a statement issued Wednesday night it is "monitoring and preparing for an additional wind event starting Saturday, October 26, which may require further shutoffs. Early forecasts show that this has the potential to be widespread across PG&Es service area in Northern and Central California with significant winds."

UPDATE, Oct. 23, 10 p.m.: PG&E announced Wednesday evening that it has cut power in 15 counties in the Sierra Foothills and North Bay Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sierra, Sonoma, Tehama and Yuba impacting about 178,000 customers in those areas.

Power shut-offs are still planned for a small pocket of San Mateo County, impacting roughly 1,000 customers, and Kern County, where up to 30 customers could be affected. These are set to begin about 1 a.m. Thursday.

In total, the intentional blackout to mitigate wildfire risk amid dry, windy weather will affect about 179,000 customers in 17 counties. When you consider an average of three people per household, the event could affect more than a 500,000 residents.

UPDATE, Oct. 23, 6 p.m.: PG&E confirmed that a number of intentional outages in Northern California have already occurred, with plans to have theshut-off continue in San Mateo and Kern counties at 1 a.m., as stated earlier.

The utility company clarified a rumor that has been circulating stating that due to the high winds and elevated fire risk expected overnight and again on the weekend, electricity would remain off through the entirety of both weather events for affected counties.

PG&E officials stated that this is untrue, and that the company intends to fully restore power to customers once the winds have died down, which is expected to happen about noon Thursday.

Once equipment has been inspected for damage by employees and given the all clear, power will be restored to residents. Meteorologists will continue to look at upcoming weather patterns before officials decide whether the upcoming weather this weekend will warrant a second shut-off.

"We understand the hardship caused by these shut-offs and the safety issues that it brings with it, but we also understand the heartbreak and devastation of catastrophic wildfire. Those losses are forever, and we're determined to do everything in our power to prevent that," said Bill Johnson, the president and CEO of PG&E.

UPDATE, Oct. 23, 3 p.m.: PG&E began intentional blackouts Wednesday for 179,000 Northern California customers in 17 counties.

The Santa Rosa Fire Department shared on Twitter at 2:45 p.m. that customers in the Rincon Valley and Oakmont areas reported outages.

Shutoffs in the North Bay were scheduled to start around 3 p.m. Outages in affected areas of San Mateo County are planned for 1 a.m. Thursday.

In Napa County, a total of 7,488 customers will lose electricity in portions of Angwin, Calistoga, Deer Park, Lake Berryessa, Oakville, Pope Valley, Rutherford and St. Helena.

Sonoma County will see the power cut off to 26,845 customers in parts of Annapolis, Boyes Hot Springs, Cloverdale, Fulton, Geyserville, Glen Ellen, Guerneville, Healdsburg, Kenwood, Larkfield, Santa Rosa, Sonoma, Windsor and Stewarts Point.

In San Mateo County, only a small pocket of 372 customers in La Honda, San Gregorio, Woodside and unincorporated ares will lose power.

Customers may lose power even though they are not experiencing critical fire weather in their specific location. "This is because the electric system relies on power lines working together to provide electricity across cities, counties and regions," PG&E explained.

Forecasts show the high winds subsiding by noon Thursday, and after the weather has calmed, PG&E will inspect equipment for damage. The utility company says it hopes to have power restored "48 hours after the weather event has passed."

UPDATE: Oct. 23, 10 a.m.:PG&E announced Wednesday morning it's moving forward with power shutoffs for 179,000 customers in 17 counties: Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Kern, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, San Mateo, Sierra, Sonoma, Tehama and Yuba.

Shutoffs will start Wednesday afternoon and continue into Thursday morning. "The shutoffs are expected to begin around 2 p.m. in the Sierra Foothills, 3 p.m. in the North Bay counties, and approximately 1 a.m. Thursday in affected areas of San Mateo and Kern counties," PG&E said.

The high winds are expected to subside at noon Thursday, and after the weather has calmed, PG&E will inspect equipment for damage. The utility company says it hopes to have power restored "48 hours after the weather event has passed."

Find a list counties and cities were customers will be impacted on the PG&E website. (Note: The website has been crashing off-and-on. PG&E says it's working on this issue.)

Customers may lose power even though they are not experiencing critical fire weather in their specific location. "This is because the electric system relies on power lines working together to provide electricity across cities, counties and regions," PG&E explained.

Impacted customers can utilize one of the many Community Resource Centers scheduled to open at 8 a.m. Thursday and stay open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. until the the shutoff has included. These are equipped with restrooms, electronic-device charging, bottled water and air-conditioning.

UPDATE: Oct. 23, 6 a.m.: If Pacific Gas & Electric shuts off the power to reduce wildfire risk in Napa and Sonoma counties, impacted customers will receive alerts via phone, text or email Wednesday morning.

High winds that can damage equipment are forecast to pick up at 5 p.m. and PG&E would begin to de-energize customers at roughly 2 p.m.

In Napa County, PG&E anticipates 7,488 customers could be impacted in parts of Angwin, Calistoga, Deer Park, Lake Berryessa, Oakville, Pope Valley, Rutherford, and St Helena, In Sonoma, 26,845 customers may be affected in portions of Annapolis, Boyes Hot Springs, Cloverdale, Fulton, Geyserville, Glen Ellen, Guerneville, Healdsburg, Kenwood, Larkfield, Santa Rosa, Sonoma, Windsor, and Stewarts Point.

If the power goes out in a small pocket of San Mateo County, it's likely to begin at 1 a.m. Thursday based on the current weather forecast. A shut-off could affect 372 customers in La Honda, San Gregorio, Woodside, and Unincorporated San Mateo County.

The following centers are scheduled to open at 8 a.m. Thursday and stay open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the remainder of the shutoff:

UPDATE: Oct. 22, 6 p.m.: Pacific Gas & Electric officials said Tuesday night that the scope of the customers who may lose power Wednesday has been narrowed "due changing weather information and the company's ability to sectionalize certain lines."

PG&E previously anticipated 201,000 customers in 16 counties would be effected in a pre-emptive shut-off to mitigate wildfire risk. The new number is 184,000 in 17 counties.

The utility company will make a call on whether to move forward with a shutoff Wednesday morning.

"Were continuing to closely monitor the weather," PG&E President Bill Johnson said at the press conference. "No such event has formally been called. We expect to make that decision tomorrow morning."

PG&E expects the event could impact people in up to 17 counties in the Sierra Foothills and the North Bay including Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Kern, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, San Mateo Sierra, Sonoma, Tehama and Yuba.

Mark Quinlan, senior director of emergency preparedness and response, said the current forecast shows the peak wind risk in the North Bay beginning at 5 p.m. Wednesday and thede-energization sequence could begin at 3 p.m. If the power goes out in a small pocket of San Mateo County, it's likely to begin at 1 a.m. Thursday based on the current weather forecast.

"The all-clear is forecast for noon on Thursday," said Quinlan. "When we get the all-clear thats when we begin restoring activities."

PG&E will release outage maps closer to the event, and advises customers to visit a new sister site dedicated to providing shutoff information: psps.ss.pge.com.

On Tuesday night, PG&E updated its list of cities that could potentially be impacted on Wednesday.

If a shut-off occurs, PG&E will open Community Resource Centers in several communities, offering restrooms, bottled water, electronic-device charging and air-conditioning. These will be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., until power is restored.

The potential for an outage comes at a time of year when the landscape is dry and fires spark and spread easily. Northerly winds are expected to pick up Wednesday evening into Thursday morning in the hills of the East Bay and North Bay, delivering critical fire risk. Winds between 35 and 45 mph with some 55 mph gusts in localized areas are forecast for Sonoma and Napa counties.

Amy Graff is a digital editor for SFGATE. Email her at agraff@sfgate.com.

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Latest: PG&E turns off power in portions of 15 counties in Northern California - SFGate