Some Small Towns Received Electricity From Microgrids During Power Shutoffs

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Some Small Towns Received Electricity From Microgrids During Power Shutoffs

By Microgrid Resources Coalition posted 12-06-2019 00:00

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Chris Karr, The Epoch Times

Summary

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), which has faced widespread criticism from state leaders and residents, is experimenting with new methods for providing alternative power sources for its customers during scheduled Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS).

In October, PG&E provided diesel-fueled generators to commercial areas in four small towns: Calistoga and Angwin in Napa County, Grass Valley in Nevada County, and Placerville in El Dorado County.

“We did use [the microgrid generators] during the last few public safety power shutoffs, where we proactively turned off the power to reduce wildfire risk,” Deanna Contreras, a spokesperson for PG&E in the North Bay region, told The Epoch Times. “They did generate a large portion of Calistoga—with, of course, downtown being the main portion that we wanted to generate.”

“It is a way to help minimize impact to areas like Calistoga during these PSPS,” she added.

Contreras confirmed the generators were used “for the duration of the public safety power shutoff” in Calistoga and Angwin—the towns that represented PG&E’s two pilot projects with microgrids.