Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings

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.

Update your contact information to stay informed

Get resources to help prepare

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.

• Learn about our other wildfire safety efforts
• View webinars on wildfire safety efforts in your community

Each day, PG&E experts check the local wildfire risk. These experts include meteorologists, data scientists and the EPSS team. The team checks how well the settings work. We only use EPSS in areas with high wildfire risk. When the risk goes down – like during rain, fog, or other safer weather – we turn EPSS off in those areas.

EPSS are not always on. Each day we check wildfire risk to decide if we should use them. Wildfires can happen any time of year, but more likely from May through November. 

You can check your address on our interactive Progress Map at pge.com/progressmap. The map will show if you are protected by EPSS and if safety work is happening nearby. Powerlines can stretch for miles across cities. Even if your address is outside a high fire-risk area, your power might still come from a line protected by an EPSS. 

These safety tools address distinct types of wildfire risk. We enable EPSS when there is a high fire rating index. We enable EPSS when the index shows dry fuel and low humidity levels, combined with low winds. PSPS is a wind driven event with a higher fire rating index than EPSS. PSPS is a planned event, and we use them when the weather forecast shows high risk in the seven-day weather forecast. You can learn more about PSPS at pge.com/psps.

Sometimes power shuts off quickly because of a safety hazard, so we can't notify you ahead of time. During and after an outage, we'll share updates using your preferred contact method. This includes texts, emails, and/or automated calls. You can go to pge.com/myalerts to check or update your contact information.

We have several backup power options that you may be eligible for, including:

• Generator and Battery Rebate Program: You can get $300 back when you purchase a portable generator or battery that qualifies. If you are a part of the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) or Family Electric Rate Assistance (FERA) programs, you can get an extra $200.
• Portable Battery Program: If you need electricity for medical reasons, you may get a backup portable battery.
• Permanent Battery Storage Rebate: You can get up to $7,500 to help pay for a qualifying permanent battery storage system and its installation.
• Backup Power Transfer Meter Program: You can get a free backup power transfer meter that easily and safely connects to a generator or an electric vehicle during an outage.
• Residential Storage Initiative in partnership with Richard Heath and Associates: This program provides a free battery storage system. This program supports specific customers who are most vulnerable to power outages.
• Self-Generation Incentive Program: This program helps you save money on battery storage. It pays at least 15% of the average battery cost and sometimes even 100% if you qualify based on income.

Each program's webpage linked above explains who is eligible. To learn more and apply for backup power programs, visit pge.com/backuppower.

EPSS will not impact your bill. You are not charged for the time your power is out. You may see "estimated usage" on your online account for the time your power is out, but you will not be charged.

Generally, we take responsibility for losses that occur due to our negligence. However, in many cases, we are not responsible for power outages.

You can submit claims for two types of reimbursement categories for costs incurred: 

• Food loss with submission of the appropriate documentation such as receipts, pictures, or descriptions of their loss. 
• Property damage that can be attributed to the outage. 

We will review and investigate each claim individually. Reviews are completed before a decision to approve or deny it is made. Our goal is to reach a decision within 30 days of receiving the claim. If there is a complex issue involved, or if we need additional information, the process may take longer. To file a claim, visit pge.com/claims.

If the power goes out, crews check the powerlines and fix any issues. They must finish repairs before turning the power back on safely. Crews may be able to quickly identify the issue and determine if repair work is needed. If it is difficult to determine the issue, it may take longer to safely turn the power back on. We are working to make patrols faster so we can restore power sooner.

We install sectionalizing devices to divide the area served by a powerline into smaller sections. Smaller sections result in less area to patrol, reducing the length of an outage. This reduces the number of customers affected by an outage.

EPSS are one of many wildfire protection tools PG&E uses to help protect you from wildfires. We are also working on other safety efforts:

• Upgrading wildfire safety systems and covered powerlines by making poles stronger in and near high fire-risk areas.
  • See progress at pge.com/systemupgrades.
• Putting powerlines underground in and near high fire-risk areas to lower chance of wildfires.
  • See maps and progress at pge.com/undergrounding.
• Trimming trees and plants so they don't touch powerlines and cause fires.
  • Learn more by calling 1-877-660-6789 or visiting pge.com/trees.

Want to learn more? Visit the Community Wildfire Safety Program webpage to explore all the ways PG&E works to protect your community.