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Error: Field cannot left blank.
Error: Invalid entry. Do not use equal signs [=] or colons [:].
- Still need assistance? Try the Help Center.
- Link accounts. Learn how to link your accounts or access more accounts.
- CARE. Find out if you qualify for a discount.
- Medical Baseline. Learn how to apply.
- Rebates. Explore PG&E rebates for your home.
- Outages. Report and view electric outages.
- Jobs/Careers. Find out about jobs at PG&E.
If you smell natural gas or suspect an emergency, leave the area now and call 9-1-1.
If you see downed powerlines, stay away. Don’t exit your car or home. Call 9-1-1. Then call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.
How EPSS works
To help keep our communities in and around high fire-risk areas safe, we have enhanced safety settings on our powerlines. They are known as Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings, or EPSS.
These settings detect hazards on the powerline and shut off power quickly to prevent an ignition. By preventing ignitions, we can stop wildfires before they have a chance to start.
EPSS reduces wildfire risk. In 2024, there was a 65 percent reduction in ignitions on EPSS-enabled powerlines.*
*Based on an evaluation of the effectiveness of EPSS under conditions of elevated likelihood of destructive fire outcomes (R3 Fire Potential Index rating), compared to the 2018-2020 average prior to the establishment of EPSS.
How we test advanced safety settings
Find out how we're working to solve tomorrow's problems before they happen.
Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings
Learn about the advanced safety settings in high fire-risk and surrounding areas.
By stopping ignitions, we help prevent wildfires from starting and spreading.
What to expect
These safety settings will be enabled when there is an increased wildfire risk.
This is most likely from May to November, but wildfire risk can exist year-round in some areas.
We review how our safety settings perform daily. We will disable safety settings if weather conditions don't meet the need for EPSS and it is safe to do so. This helps to prevent unnecessary outages.
EPSS helps keep you safer, but you may experience unplanned power outages. Many things can cause an unplanned outage. This includes hazards like a tree branch or animal contacting a powerline. Hazards could cause an outage on any powerline, including those without EPSS. Powerlines with EPSS help prevent wildfires by turning off power quickly.
We do not expect these settings to impact customer bills.
Customer support
We're working hard to provide our customers and communities support and reduce the impact of outages. We have resources and tools available to help you.
Backup Power Transfer Meter Program
Connect a generator to your house through this free offer.
Our commitment to your safety
Other safety efforts include:
- Undergrounding 10,000 miles of powerlines to improve safety and reliability
- Meeting state vegetation standards to prevent trees and branches from falling into lines
- Installing stronger poles and powerlines to make the electric grid safer and more resilient
- Reducing the impact of Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) to help keep the power on
If you're served by powerlines with EPSS, you may experience unplanned outages. We notify you when there is an outage and send updates until the power is back on.
If a powerline is on your property, we may need access to restore power. Please allow our crew members patrol access. The sooner our crew can patrol, the earlier power can be restored.
Outages that result from enhanced safety settings are not Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). PSPS outages are a last resort used to keep you safe. You will be notified before a PSPS takes place.
We're reducing the impact of losing power by:
- Providing backup power support for qualifying customers
- Alerting you when an outage has happened and when you can expect power back
- Using ground and air patrols for quicker restoration
- Installing equipment to decrease the length of outages
We're improving the electric system for safety and to keep your power on. No matter the season, it's important to stay safe and prepared for outages.
Outage preparedness guides
Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings Fact Sheet
How we're adjusting the settings on equipment to quickly turn off power if the system detects a problem.
- Filename
- epss-fact-sheet.pdf
- Size
- 155 KB
- Format
- application/pdf
Non-residential outage preparedness guide
Safety information for business and property owners.
- Filename
- outage-preparedness-guide-nonresidential.pdf
- Size
- 887 KB
- Format
- application/pdf
Residential outage preparedness guide
Information to keep you and your community safe.
- Filename
- outage-preparedness-guide-residential.pdf
- Size
- 885 KB
- Format
- application/pdf
More information on outages and safety
Outage preparedness and support
Stay prepared for power outages and get support.
Community Wildfire Safety Program (CWSP)
Find out how we are making our system safer and more reliable.
©2025 Pacific Gas and Electric Company
©2025 Pacific Gas and Electric Company