SDG&E To Cut Power In High-Risk Fire Areas

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego Gas & Electric will soon be sending out notices to customers their power could be cut off during extreme weather conditions to prevent wildfires.

In sample letters like those to be sent to customers, SDG&E says:

"We are taking a number of steps to reduce the potential for fires in preparation for the start of the high risk fire season in San Diego County. After consulting with Cal Fire and other fire-fighting agencies, law enforcement, the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services, and the San Diego and Imperial Valley Red Cross, we have made changes to our facilities, operations, and procedures.

Changes to our facilities include replacing wood poles with steel poles and using heavier wire in certain sections of our system in rural areas. Operational changes include expanding aerial inspections of our distribution and transmission lines, introducing new equipment, including high-resolution cameras, to make inspections even more precise and ensuring our Emergency Operations Center can be activated on short notice.

One of our new procedures involves turning off power lines under certain extreme weather conditions. This procedure will be used infrequently but it is an important part of our overall fire preparedness efforts. The full details of the new procedure are outlined on the enclosed fact sheet, so please take a minute to read it.

Some of the highlights are:

• We will proactively shut off power in certain high-risk fire areas during extreme weather conditions in order to help prevent fires. • The weather criteria for triggering the shut down procedures are set at a level that we project activating the shut down procedure as infrequently as one time or less per year. However, the actual frequency will depend on weather conditions in your area. • We will attempt to contact you in advance of shutting off the power, but you may also be contacted by the County Office of Emergency Services (OES) through the Alert San Diego (also known as the Reverse 9-1-1 system).

Because your household has someone on life support or is receiving a medical baseline allowance, we know that you or someone in your home has special needs for energy. We are working to provide additional assistance for you in case the new fire program is activated. We will contact you to go over the details of the program and to discuss your emergency plan."

Included with the letters will be a map: SDG&E FirePrep FAQ

"To help you to be better prepared in the event of an emergency, in this mailing you’ll also find a map showing the high-potential outage areas, a brochure about preparing for unplanned outages, a portable generator fact sheet, an emergency guide and a checklist magnet. If you currently have a generator or plan to purchase one, please read the fact sheet so you’re familiar with state law related to generators."

The SDG&E letters also state that the company will attempt to use the reverse 911 system to notify customers before the power is cut.

"Before the program is activated we will attempt to call the telephone number on your account.

To update your phone number with us, call 1-800-411-7343. Please have your account number available and you’ll be able to update your home, cell and business numbers through our automated system.

In addition, we urge you to register your cell phone(s) on OES’ Alert SanDiego system by going online to the ReadySanDiego Web site.

Unfortunately, wildfires in our region are becoming more common. We believe that these efforts, along with effort of other agencies, will help provide improved fire safety for our region.

If you have additional questions about SDG&E’s Emergency Fire Preparedness Program, please feel free to call us at 1-800-411-7343."

The notices will also include a list of answers to "Frequently Asked Questions." SDG&E FirePrep FAQ

Here is a sample SDG&E Letter

sample SDG&E Letter

sample SDG&E Letter