PG&E expands EPSS for parts of Central Coast

CENTRAL COAST, Calif. (KION) - With wildfire season already underway, PG&E says it's expanding protections to new areas, including some here on the central coast. 

After setting a record last year, California is headed for another scorching hot summer.

"We’re expecting temperatures to be above normal this summer and obviously temperature is something that is going to dry out the fuels across the state of California, leading to potentially higher fire risk than normal," said Scott Strefnel, Senior Director of Meteorology and Fire Science.

That’s why PG&E has expanded the scope of its enhanced powerline safety settings that trigger shut-offs.

"More than fifty percent of our geographic service area exists in high fire risk areas," said Mark Quinlan, PG&E SVP, Wildfire, Emergency & Operations

On this map, the yellow area indicates high fire-risk areas.

Power lines in the yellow have already been equipped with the technology for four years… and now it’s the same protocol for buffer zones.

Hollister isn’t particularly at risk-

"Not overly concerned with fires, especially where I live," says Hollister resident Lisa Hart.

People who live here now get the extra safety, meaning they’ll also be subject to more potential outages.

"Yeah, if there’s nothing that can be done, and it’s for safety reasons, and its not going to melt everything in my freezer or my fridge, then yeah, it’ll be okay," said Hart.

PG&E says the average restoration time is almost two and a half hours, but last year, the lights never went dark for about half of the customers in the protection zone… and less than one in five lost power multiple times.

PG&E says the technology is hugely successful. They credit it with reducing ignitions anywhere from 60 to 80 percent. 

ESPS is also being expanded to unincorporated parts of San Benito County and the outskirts of Greenfield and King City.