Western Railroad Discussion > PG&E Power Shutoff

https://www.kqed.org/news/11778499/pge-eyeing-massive-power-shutoffs-across-northern-california-due-to-extreme-weather-concerns?fbclid=IwAR27iHB4gDZVO1Hmp_ygll8GXkTLRKpAUY2XcqaY1xPinXkrqLnbZT8iM98

Will these power shutoffs affect BART and/or other rail operations?

Arved Grass
Fleming Island, FL

Hi, Arved.  BART should be okay, since they receive traction power independently of the neighborhoods through which they operate, and they have access to generators they can deploy where necessary. SF Muni will be unaffected since SF is not in a blackout area.  As for UP, BNSF, Caltrain, and SMART, I'll defer to somebody who knows how much battery life is in the various signal components.

Weird here this morning -- power is still on here in the East Bay (and the air is very calm), but apparently has been turned off in parts of Marin.  Go figure.

Rick
 

Too bad they dont take better care of there equipment after living in SE WA for years wind was always there and very strong not many problems unlike those people.  Seems others must keep there lines up better than they do along with there right of way for them.
 

When the government in California (whose job it is to oversee the utilities) is as corrupt as most third world countries, the stability of our power delivery becomes about as reliable as in the third world. On top of that, because of the manufactured power outage panic, gasoline is selling for $4.00 a gallon, & stations are now running out. Speaking of gas, hidden in all the local news of the forced power shutdowns, there was a twenty second long report mentioning Governor Newsome was diverting a passed-less-than-a-year-ago gas tax “strictlyfor highway & highway infrastructure projects” away from highway & instead to high speed rail. This, when airport owners & aircraft manufacturers are already steering the future of intrastate & medium distance travel to aircraft anyway. 

Desmond Praetzel, “4451 Puff”

Suggest a different news source:

https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/BART-reports-delays-due-to-power-problems-14503679.php

Good source for state Government stuff:
https://www.sacbee.com/

more Local Valley news:
https://sacramento.cbslocal.com/2019/10/09/pge-power-shutoffs-1st-phase-513k-customers-without-power/

Gas prices around $4.50 on the Peninsula, lines two or three deep. Didn't see any five dollar prices but I'm sure they would be around SFO.

4451Puff Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When the government in California (whose job it is
> to oversee the utilities) is as corrupt as most
> third world countries, the stability of our power
> delivery becomes about as reliable as in the third
> world. On top of that, because of the manufactured
> power outage panic, gasoline is selling for $4.00
> a gallon, & stations are now running out. Speaking
> of gas, hidden in all the local news of the forced
> power shutdowns, there was a twenty second long
> report mentioning Governor Newsome was diverting a
> passed-less-than-a-year-ago gas tax “strictlyfor
> highway & highway infrastructure projects” away
> from highway & instead to high speed rail. This,
> when airport owners & aircraft manufacturers are
> already steering the future of intrastate & medium
> distance travel to aircraft anyway. 
>
> Desmond Praetzel, “4451 Puff”

The power compaines are more interested in the share holders.
They don't maintain their power lines.
As for being corrupt as a third world country, what third world country are you comparing California to?

Posted from Android

Pardon my ignorance since I live on the opposite coast but I thought the power companies were shutting down the grid in preparation for some big wind storm?  They didn't want the lines to fall and burn the state of California to the ground.

Tim
mp35mountain

mp35mountain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Pardon my ignorance since I live on the opposite
> coast but I thought the power companies were
> shutting down the grid in preparation for some big
> wind storm?  They didn't want the lines to fall
> and burn the state of California to the ground.

Yes. I thought the article explained that. PG&E is running scared after being held responsible for the Camp fire last year (link), which bankrupted them.

I'm a right coaster, also, although my wife and I both grew up on the left coast. She's from WA, and I'm from NorCal.

Arved Grass
Fleming Island, FL

My former home is in the "pink" area, considering what my electric rates used to be, think I'd be pissed over
the shut off.

Out

The story in the media is that there are areas were the power 'may' go off but the weather and the power company hasn't warranted that yet. The gotcha is that the power lines that are de-energized will have to be visually inspected for fallen wires before they are re-energized. The wind event may last roughly two days, the inspection may take 5 days, recent similar outages were remedied in the same day. Sounds to me like a liability avoidance event.

All those big Costco sized refridgerators full of Costco packaged foods are in danger of being spoiled and tossed out. There was a news report about Customers asking at a hardware store how to keep food from going bad when the refridgerator doesn't have power, someone suggested using ice. Next question was where to find ice.

What's interesting is that this is suppose to be earthquake country. The residents are suppose to be prepared with alternate power sources, water and food already. There is discussion of people who have medical requirements that require electrical power. Alameda County is talking about their water system uses electrical pumps, two significant tunnels were to be shut down as they did not have electrical generators to drive fans and provide rescue for traffic accidents. That's the third world part that I see going on... and I've been to a few..



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/19 12:09 by TCnR.

needles_sub Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> The power compaines are more interested in the
> share holders.
> They don't maintain their power lines.
> As for being corrupt as a third world country,
> what third world country are you comparing
> California to?

There is none. The Republic of California is it's own world...

TCnR Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> All those big Costco sized refridgerators full of
> Costco packaged foods are in danger of being
> spoiled and tossed out. 

Even my local supermarket (here in NE Florida) has big generators to protect against such an outage. What's Costco thinking?

Another concern is that once the power is cut, people will use their generators. After a similar outage, recently, in Nevada County, three generator related fires were started. Talk about the law of unintended consequences!

Arved Grass
Fleming Island, FL

Sadly there is no guarantee shutting off the power will prevent wildfires and we hope the lack of electrical power won’t inhibit the ability to fight fires brought on by any cause.  Slouching towards 3rd world status.  Commitments around the globe but nothing for our own infrastructure?  Sphogger

In Norway, some rural power lines traverse cleared space.

Groomed, cleared land under and near the overhead wires.

Makes a lot of sense.

Posted from Android

Clear a wide path around the big lines 50 kv and up and bury the residential feeders. It's what they've done in the Midwest in tornado country wherever the lines pass through forest.

Granted California has taller trees and more of them, but it should be possible...

Posted from Android

DevalDragon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> needles_sub Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > The power compaines are more interested in the
> > share holders.
> > They don't maintain their power lines.
> > As for being corrupt as a third world country,
> > what third world country are you comparing
> > California to?
>
> There is none. The Republic of California is it's
> own world...

Yep, the fifth largest economy in the world.

Sorry, I meant the Freezers that people bought at Costco and have at their homes, full of packaged Costco food, If there was a run on the food stores they'd be cleared out in a day and wouldn't have anything left to need a generator. Not even considering looting.

They clear under the big transmission lines, you would think they would work as fire breaks. The recent big fires have begun as small single incidents that just ran with the wind and open fuel. The big fires just go right across ridges and freeways. Last year's fires in the Redding area had fire coming out of the drains on the freeway. Pretty wild stuff.

The weather map shows an "extreme fire risk" all the way up to Redding.

Posted from Android

Forests in California are not managed. Old, diseased, dead trees need removal. That is never done. I doubt Slick Gavin will have that on his to do list.

Posted from Android

stash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Forests in California are not managed. Old,
> diseased, dead trees need removal. That is never
> done. I doubt Slick Gavin will have that on his to
> do list.
>
> Posted from Android

why spend $$$ on things that can't vote and give you power?

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