Photo courtesy of Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)


COLFAX, CA (MPG) - Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is continuing to underground and install strengthened poles and covered power lines in Placer County and will host an open house on April 24. 

 

PG&E is hosting the community meeting where utility representatives will be on hand to explain the process and answer questions about undergrounding and strengthening of power lines. PG&E representatives are available to talk about what to expect regarding construction, land rights, vegetation management, traffic controls, restoration, etc.

 

WHEN:          Thursday, April 24 from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

WHERE:         Sierra Vista Community Center

                      55 School Street

                      Colfax CA 95713

 

PG&E has and continues undergrounding power lines in the highest risk areas of Placer County as well as other high-fire threat areas of Northern and Central California as part of its commitment to underground 10,000 miles of power lines in high-fire threat areas of the company’s service area.

 

Burying powerlines is the most effective solution to reduce the risk of wildfire from electrical equipment, as it eliminates nearly all wildfire ignition risk from a line once it is moved underground. Undergrounding also makes power more reliable by reducing outages caused by winter storms and strong winds and, in some cases, reduces the need for safety-related power shutoffs.

 

“We at PG&E are deeply committed to doing everything we can to prevent wildfires in the communities we serve and live in,” said Joe Wilson, Vice President of PG&E’s North Valley & Sierra Region. “Our region has been devastated by wildfires in recent years. Undergrounding work protects our communities.”

 

The work is part of PG&E’s Community Wildfire Safety Program and is in response to California’s growing wildfire risk. Undergrounding is just one of many layers of wildfire protection that PG&E uses to reduce wildfire risk. To help keep the communities we serve safe, PG&E is also addressing trees and vegetation to ensure they are a safe distance from our powerlines, upgrading overhead lines, employing a network of weather stations and cameras to better detect extreme weather and wildfires, utilizing Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings, and more.

 

PG&E remains committed to undergrounding 10,000 miles of powerlines in high-risk areas as part of the company’s wildfire mitigation efforts because moving powerlines underground is the most effective solution to permanently reducing wildfire risk, improving reliability and reducing costs over the long term.