PG&E: Power could be restored sooner than expected

Well, we are also following a developing story this afternoon right here in the Bay Area, where thousands of PG&E customers have their power shut off right now because of the threat of fire danger. Let's give you a look here at the PG&E map of those planned power outages that are in effect right now. Those are the areas that you see colored in here on the map. The utility began shutting down power yesterday to people in the East Bay Hills, some parts of Contra Costa County as well as much of Napa and Sonoma County. The good news is that PG&E says some power could be restored earlier than planned. KTVU's Jesse Gary live for us this afternoon in Castro Valley with the very latest on the power situation. Jesse. Alex, Heather, good afternoon to you and the utility says some 6,300 East Bay customers, Alameda and Contra Costa County, could see service that is currently switched off, switched back on by around this time tomorrow. Before then though, another night of living without lights and electric service to prevent what they say could be a much worse problem, a windswept, wind-driven wildfire. Thursday sees thousands of East and North Bay customers living with the inconvenience of no PG&E service. A public safety power shutoff started the previous evening. PG&E has analyzed and put in measures at the best that they could and so the big picture is safety. So I'm appreciative of all that they've done. Utility officials shutting off service out of necessity after weather experts forecast Diablo and Mono winds blowing in from the east until the weekend. These are all considered downslope windstorms and offshore winds because they're blowing from the land to the ocean. And so they can be very, very strong and very dry and warm. And so that's the reason why it's such a fire danger. Utility reps say the winds could blow down lines or blow trees and debris onto energized lines, causing a wildfire. That fire could then be pushed by the winds and grow bigger as the bone-dry brush provides fuel. When we see that these conditions are really prime for wildfire, we shut off the power so that we can prevent a wildfire from even starting. It is something that we try and avoid. The shutoff is expected to last until Sunday, but roughly 6,300 East Bay customers could see service restored much sooner. Officials saying they'll do line and equipment inspections at noon Friday and may restore service by 4 p.m. Still, some customers are irritated the shutoff went forward without severe conditions near their homes. Three whole days for wind, for a weather element that has not occurred. So now we're wondering, what are you doing PG&E? It's because the equipment in their area may be connected to equipment miles away where we are experiencing those gusty winds or where it is above ground. And so it may not be that you're experiencing those conditions right in your own backyard, but your equipment is connected. And officials say community resource centers or CRCs are also available for the elderly or those with physical limitations. You can call 2-1-1 for more information about that. Again, the story right now, the headline of the hour, 6,300 customers in the East Bay, Alameda, and Contra Costa County could have their service restored much earlier than anticipated if conditions hold and do not get worse. We're live in Castro Valley. Jesse Gary, KTVU Fox 2 News. Alex, Heather, we'll go Over to the 580, to the 880, and to Oakland and you. Yeah, that's certainly what those folks are looking forward to, getting their power back. All right, Jesse, thank you.