Summer Blackouts Ahead

Bloomberg’s article California May Go Dark This Summer, and Most Aren’t Ready points out:

A plan by California’s biggest utility to cut power on high-wind days during the onrushing wildfire season could plunge millions of residents into darkness. And most people aren’t ready.

The plan by PG&E Corp. comes after the bankrupt utility said a transmission line that snapped in windy weather probably started last year’s Camp Fire, the deadliest in state history. While the plan may end one problem, it creates another as Californians seek ways to deal with what some fear could be days and days of blackouts.

Calistoga and the north bay are mentioned as particularly vulnerable, but this raises the possibility in our occasionally windy area of losing power that provides life-sustaining services. Without a refrigerator, how long will your food last? No air conditioner, swamp cooler or fan? Electric stove? What happens when your phone and computer runs out of power? All are serious issues to consider and plan for.

A few suggestions: extra water, camping food that doesn’t require a stove OR make sure your camp stove or grill has extra fuel, backup battery for phone and/or computer (assuming the cell towers are working, which is a big assumption). You might also want to assemble a handy sheet of personal contact information.