PG&E proactively shut off power to parts of the City of Sonoma (City) and Sonoma Valley Wednesday, October 14th. PG&E anticipates power will be restored to customers affected by the Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) event by 10:00 PM Friday (10/16), weather and safety permitting. Please refer to PG&E’s PSPS Updates page for the most current outage maps and power restoration information.
CITY OPERATIONS
City offices have not been impacted by the PSPS and are open by appointment, regular hours.
City of Sonoma water customers are asked to please conserve water during the PG&E PSPS period. While the City does not expect a disruption in the City’s water supply as a result of the PSPS, some tanks and pumps are located in the de-energization area and when PG&E power is shut down, generators are used to move water through the system. Reducing water demand from customers reduces the need to refuel and monitor generators while the power is out.
The Sonoma Police Department is running on generator power with no interruptions and is open regular hours.
The Sonoma Valley Fire District has staffed up a Type 3 engine, water tender, and a task force leader to join a county Task Force and has increased staffing in Sonoma Valley to four-person engine companies for the critical fire weather.
PG&E COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTERS (CRC)
PG&E has opened two CRCs in Sonoma Valley. The CRCs are scheduled to be open 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM on Thursday, hours of operation for Friday are to be determined. All Community Resource Centers follow state and county guidelines to fight COVID-19. Please visit their website for more information. The two CRC locations in Sonoma Valley are:
- First Congregational Church of Sonoma (Outdoors Only), 252 West Spain Street, Sonoma. Snacks & water, ADA-accessible restroom & washing station, WiFi, device charging and small medical device charging available.
- Hanna Boys Center Large Conference Room (Indoor), 17000 Arnold Dr., Sonoma. Snacks & water, ADA-accessible restroom & washing station, WiFi, device charging, small medical device charging, air conditioning, ice and seating available.
WEATHER
The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the North Bay Mountains and Valleys through 11:00 AM on Friday (10/16) along with a Heat Advisory for North Bay Interior Valleys and North Bay Mountains through 9:00 PM Friday (10/16).
Due to these warm temperatures, the California Independent System Operator has issued a statewide Flex Alert from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. today, to protect the grid from any unexpected system shortages. Read the news release: buff.ly/3dvYu40
TRAFFIC SAFETY
While there are no reports of any traffic signals out in Sonoma city limits, drivers are reminded to be vigilant as multiple intersections in Sonoma County may be without power including during traditional commute times. Public Safety officials urge drivers to reduce speeds, drive with caution, and treat all intersections without power as a 4-way stop, per state law.
The City has information at for Sonoma residents and businesses to help prepare for a potential power shutoff on our Extended Power Outage webpage (http://www.sonomacity.org/extended-power-outages/) as part of the City’s Emergency Preparedness information where you can find more resources and information about PG&E’s PSPS program and ways you can better prepare for extended power outages.