San Mateo Co. Business Owners, Residents Brace For Next PG&E Power Shutoffs
HALF MOON BAY (KPIX) - About 900 PG&E customers in San Mateo County could be in the dark soon.
A sizable chunk of county remains in the potential impact area from PG&E's Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS), but the area seems to be shrinking, according to city officials.
The company's website shows an area hugging the coast, spanning as far north as downtown Half Moon Bay, south to Ano Nuevo State Park, and as far east as Portola Valley.
However, the website appears to be outdated, when compared with information received by city and town officials.
"Yesterday we were included in the map, today's maps are not showing us in," John Doughty, Half Moon Bay Public Works Director.
Doughty said the 'all clear' came from San Mateo County emergency management officials, who were in direct contact with PG&E.
The discrepancy between the company website information, and information provided to public officials preparing for the PSPS in their own jurisdictions underscores the confusion still pervasive in the company's second shutdown this month.
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Doughty said the 'all clear' for Half Moon Bay was a "relief", but the fluid nature of this incident leaves the city frustratingly "in limbo".
"Things tend to change, and so we're planning for the worst, and hoping for the best," said Doughty.
Portola Valley Town Manager Jeremy Dennis also confirmed the town was within the potential PSPS area earlier, but was cleared as of 1:30 p.m., on Tuesday.
As for lessons learned from the first time, Half Moon Bay will coordinate with Caltrans to ensure the city's major stoplights at Hwy 92 and along Hwy 1 will have generator power.
The PSPS for now encompasses an area known as "Sky Londa" near the intersection of Highways 35 and 84.
At Alice's Restaurant, a popular stop of for motorcycle riders, co-owner Andy Kerr will be stocking up on gas and propane. The store ran out during a rush in the last shutoff. Alice's also has a large generator which allowed them to continue operating through the event.
"Being in the mountains, you have to take care of yourselves. So we, years ago, invested the money into generators and backup systems so that we wouldn't be held hostage to PG&E," said Kerr.
Homeowner Vicki Atkins was making a last minute run at the Skywood Trading Post and Deli, buying jam to make peanut butter sandwiches, canned soup and chili, and ice to keep items in her fridge from spoiling.
"If it's just 24, 36 hours, that's wonderful. I'd be terrified if it was 5 days or something like that," said Atkins. "You do what you can."
