The Mother Lode region, California, has been impacted by numerous Enhanced Powerline Safety Setting (EPSS) shutoffs over the past several months, raising concerns and complaints from residents and the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors about power outages, including those affecting power transformers, which have disrupted communities and tourism in the area.
The oldest working hotel in Mother Lode Region, CA, might also suffer the impact the power outages have on tourism. Photo for illustrative purposes.
The Mother Lode region in California has experienced a surge in Enhanced Powerline Safety Setting (EPSS) shutoffs in recent months. PG&E's EPSS initiative triggers power cutoffs when the company's infrastructure detects potential threats, such as falling tree branches, in an effort to prevent wildfires.
These shutoffs have resulted in a significant increase in power outages during the summer and early fall, including an extended outage over the Independence Day weekend, impacting tourism in the southern county. Communities like Groveland and Columbia have been particularly affected, but the issue has affected all corners of the region.
As a response to numerous inquiries and complaints from the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors, PG&E will host two community forums on Monday, October 9. The first forum will take place from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM at the Groveland Community Resilience Center, located at 18986 Ferretti Road, while the second forum is scheduled from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM at the Sonora Best Western Conference Center, situated at 19551 Hess Avenue.
Kathleen Haff, Board chair, encourages residents to attend the forums, stating, "If you would like to bring up anything with PG&E, now is your time, so please be there." PG&E spokesperson Jeff Smith acknowledges the challenges faced by these communities and looks forward to working with local residents to address their concerns and explore solutions during the open houses.
Both events are open to the public, providing an opportunity for community members to engage with PG&E directly regarding the EPSS shutoffs.
