Members of the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors are asking PG&E to explain why it shut off power to 7,250 customers.
County leaders are questioning whether local conditions were serious enough to warrant it.
Here's what to know
PG&E's explanation came from PG&E Government Affairs Representative Nathan Alonzo during a Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors meeting in Sonora.
He said the Public Safety Power Shutoff, starting the evening of Oct. 14 and stretching into Oct. 16, was driven by what he described as a "convergence of factors," according to myMotherLode.
PG&E's meteorology team logged about 25 mph sustained winds and 34 mph gusts on Mount Elizabeth while humidity fell into the single digits, Alonzo said. He also pointed to a National Weather Service Red Flag warning, low humidity, warm temperatures, and dry fuels.
Even so, the outage quickly raised questions about whether PG&E moved too aggressively for the communities affected. For customers dissatisfied with their utilities, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy, and Palmetto is currently running an exclusive offer for Southern California residents that allows customers to save an average of 40% on their electric bills with $0 down.
More background
District Three Supervisor Anaiah Kirk said she had prepared 20 questions and asked that Alonzo come back for a longer discussion. She also noted that PG&E's communication and relationship with county leaders have improved, making clear that the current dispute centers on the shutoff decision.
Kirk had concerns about whether residents and businesses can recover losses tied to the outage and whether PG&E could wait longer before cutting power to see if strong winds actually develop.
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Supervisor Jaron Brandon raised a similar point, asking why the shutoff wasn't canceled at the last minute. Alonzo said he would review the real-time discussions behind that call and noted stronger winds in higher-elevation areas, including Mt. Elizabeth, Groveland, Strawberry, and Buck Meadows.
What's being done?
A required post-event report to the California Public Utilities Commission is expected to provide more detail, Alonzo told supervisors. He also said he would return with other PG&E representatives for a future meeting that the board can formally agendize for a deeper review.
On reimbursement, Alonzo said people can file claims at PGE.com/claims for individual review. The outlet also reported that PG&E opened Community Resource Centers at Word of Life Church in Mi Wuk Village and Eproson Park in Twain Harte, with roughly 385 visitors at the first site and about 365 at the second.
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Brandon summed up the frustration bluntly: "It wasn't even a normal windy day, but it was like a dead still day. Why did PG&E not delay or cancel on that day, with new data (show low wind speeds)."
Where can I learn more?
Utility shutoffs like this one have sparked wider debate over wildfire planning, customer protections, and backup power.
• Across the West Coast, utilities are choosing to combat drastic wildfire risk by cutting power.
• A report found that California utilities have pursued the "most expensive, least effective" wildfire prevention strategies possible.
• In more than 30 states, utilities can shut off electricity during deadly heatwaves, deepening household insecurity.
• In California, SoCalGas drew outrage after rebates offered to disaster survivors left customers fuming.
• In Cuba, officials pushed residents toward solar after a nationwide blackout persisted for days.
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