Power companies gear up for potential storm damage in the Central Valley

FRESNO, Calif. (KGPE/KSEE) – As wind and rain move into the area, Central Valley power companies are preparing for potential damage to power lines. 

While they do expect rain, the bigger antagonist will be the wind. 

“These type of outages can definitely be impactful to our hometowns, our communities, our customers,” Central Valley PG&E Vice President Joshua Simes said. 

PG&E’s systems predict 40 to 50 mile per hour wind gusts, so they have extra crew members standing by. 

“We have our material, our transformers, our wires, our poles and we can set up our crews ready to respond,” Simes said. 

Southern California Edison is also ramping up efforts ahead of the storms. They warn customers to leave any necessary repairs to them. 

“If customers, or anyone out in the public, encounters a downed power line, they should maintain at least 100 feet of distance. They should call 911 immediately, and that will get first responders out there. And they will also notify Southern California Edison so we can get our crews there to respond as well,” Southern California Edison spokesperson Gabriela Ornelas said. 

The last thing they want people to do is try to clean up the damage themselves. Instead, agencies recommend people use that time to check on their neighbors. 

“Check on those that are most vulnerable. We want to make sure that we’re all safe — family, friends,” Simes said. 

If power does go out, they ask customers to use flashlights instead of candles to avoid a fire hazard. 

So far, agencies are seeing most of the impact toward the mountains, but they are not counting out potential damage in the valley. 

They urge everyone to keep a watchful eye and a safe distance from downed power lines.