PG&E has begun the process of returning power to the nearly 15,000 customers in southern and coastal parts of San Mateo County that were impacted by the Public Safety Power Shutoff, the county said in a statement this afternoon.
Just before 5 p.m., county officials announced that PG&E had begun visual inspections of its transmission lines in San Mateo County and subsequent re-energizing of the lines.
It could take up to five days for some customers to see their power returned, PG&E has advised.
The shutoff, planned due to warm, dry and windy weather conditions that posed high fire risk in parkland areas starting Wednesday, impacted 14,761 customers, including 261 medical baseline customers, in the communities of Half Moon Bay, El Granada, Woodside, Moss Beach, Montara, Portola Valley, Pescadero, La Honda, San Gregorio, Loma Mar, Emerald Hills, Princeton and the surrounding unincorporated areas along the coast and southwest of Interstate 280.
“During visual inspections, residents should expect to see low-flying helicopters and extra PG&E crews on the ground,” according to the County.
During the power restoration process, traffic lights may remain off. County parks will remain closed until full restoration occurs. CalFresh recipients who experienced loss of food purchased with those benefits may qualify to have them replaced, according to the county, by calling the Human Services Agency at 1-800-223-8383.
More than 700,000 customers in over 30 counties were impacted by the planned power shutoff, according to PG&E.