PG&E expands precautionary power shutoffs across California

PG&E warned approximately 70,000 customers across 29 California counties could face precautionary electricity shutoffs beginning Wednesday evening, October 14. Advance notifications were issued on Tuesday, October 13, as the utility monitors a significant wind event expected to continue through Saturday, October 17.

Weather drivers and geographic scope

Offshore Diablo, Mono, and Santa Ana winds combined with extremely low humidity and dry vegetation are raising wildfire ignition risk across Northern and Central California. The Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) operation could affect customers across these regions, with particularly affected areas including the Sierra Nevada, southern Central Coast, and parts of the North and East Bay.

Offshore Diablo winds are expected to peak Thursday across the northern and central Sierra Nevada and portions of the San Francisco Bay Area. Mono winds could strengthen in the southern Sierra on Friday. Santa Ana winds could spread into southern Los Padres and the Tehachapi region. Humidity may fall into single digits.

PG&E’s mitigation approach

The geographic extent of the outages remains subject to changing weather conditions. PG&E is using higher-resolution weather forecasting and machine-learning models to narrow shutdown areas. This technology provides localized wind-gust predictions for more precise wildfire threat assessment. Sectionalizing technology enables isolation of individual portions of the distribution network. Improved forecasts and sectionalizing could help limit unnecessary interruptions.

These measures are part of PG&E's broader wildfire mitigation strategy. The strategy includes hardening electricity infrastructure, expanding underground power lines, and deploying automated fire detection systems. PG&E's long-term infrastructure program includes placing 10,000 miles of power lines underground. The program also includes investments in stronger poles, covered conductors, and enhanced power line safety settings.

Preventive electricity shutdowns remain a consequential operational tool for California utilities in wildfire-vulnerable areas. Such outages can reduce wildfire ignition risk but expose households, businesses, and critical services to disruptions. PG&E emphasizes the importance of investments in grid resilience, predictive technology, and infrastructure modernization.

Context from recent grid actions

Recent CAISO Restricted Maintenance Operations and prior utility shutoffs reflect ongoing grid stress from heat waves and wildfire conditions earlier in October 2026. Over the past two weeks, a heat wave led the California Independent System Operator and utilities to take precautionary measures. The grid appeared to have remained mostly stable over that period.

CAISO issued Restricted Maintenance Operations on Oct. 5, 6, 7 and 8, 2026. It issued six alerts during the heat wave, two for Southern California and four for all of CAISO. Demand peaked around 46,000 MW on Oct. 5, 2026, according to CAISO data. CAISO's Restricted Maintenance Operations was also in place Oct. 7, 8, 9 and 10, 2026, according to its Grid Emergencies History Report.

San Diego Gas & Electric first warned customers of potential shutoffs due to wildfire conditions on Sept. 30, 2026. SDG&E shutoffs began Oct. 2, 2026, impacting an area containing 35,000 customers. The utility cited extreme heat, high winds and severe wildfire conditions. On Oct. 4, 2026, SDG&E provided an all-clear, saying shutoff conditions had passed.

On Oct. 9, 2026, PG&E began de-energizing targeted areas of Fresno, Kern, Kings, San Benito and San Luis Obispo counties due to raised wildfire risk conditions. PG&E restored power and issued all-clear notices on Oct. 10, 2026. On Oct. 11, 2026, PG&E announced shutoffs to targeted areas in Colusa, Glenn, Shasta, Tehama and Yolo counties.

Roughly 3,920 customers enrolled in PG&E's Medical Baseline Program could be affected. Customers across five Tribal jurisdictions could also be impacted. Approximately 4,000 customers who experienced precautionary outages earlier in the week could face further interruptions. PG&E has removed around 5,700 customers from the scope of the earlier shutdown plan.

PG&E stated it "is currently monitoring potential for another round of offshore winds Wednesday through Saturday." The utility added that "Elevated fire weather conditions will be present across much of the territory later this week." PG&E restored power and issued all-clear notices on Oct. 10, 2026, following the prior shutoff event in Fresno, Kern, Kings, San Benito and San Luis Obispo counties.