PSPS/PSOM & Other Planned Power Shutoff Resources

2023

General | Electricity Providers | Outage Maps | 211 PSPS Care Coordination for PG&E Customers | Before an Outage | During and After an Outage | Trusted Information Sources

Call 911

for a life-threatening emergency, downed power lines, or if you smell natural gas or propane

Or text to 911

  • Nevada County – You can try texting 9-1-1. Some cell phone service providers may not yet have text to 9-1-1 enabled in Nevada County.
  • Placer County – You can text 9-1-1 if you are living in or traveling through Placer County.

Contact 211 for other information

  • Call 2-1-1 or 1-833-342-5211 (1-833-DIAL211)
  • Text your zip code to 898211 to connect with a live call agent

GENERAL

What is a PSPS or PSOM? | When does a PSPS occur? | Who is affected?

What is a PSPS or PSOM?

A Public Safety Power Shutoff or PSPS is when a utility company shuts off power in response to weather conditions that can pose a high risk for wildfires. Some utility companies call it a Public Safety Outage Management or PSOM.

When Does a PSPS Occur?

High winds can break branches or blow other items into power lines, or damage electrical lines directly, possibly starting a wildfire. Under certain conditions utility companies may temporarily shut off power to customers to help prevent wildfires. A number of factors are considered before declaring a PSPS. These include, but are not limited to:

  • High winds and strong gusts
  • Dry vegetation that could serve as fuel for a wildfire
  • Low humidity
  • Real-time observations by a weather sensor network
  • Fire threat to electric infrastructure
  • Red flag warnings declared by the National Weather Service

Who is affected?

  • All customers served by the utility company are affected – Everyone should be prepared for the possibility of a PSPS.
  • People who rely on electricity for medical devices or other health needs – Give special attention to ensuring that those needs can be met with backup power sources, plans to move to another location for the duration of the PSPS, etc.
  • People who have wells and septic systems – When power goes out, so do well pumps, and septic systems that have a pump. People with wells should have plenty of water on hand for drinking, flushing toilets, etc. Prepare in advance and find resources by doing an internet search on terms such as “wells and power outages.”

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ELECTRICITY PROVIDERS

To report downed power lines, call 9-1-1, then call your electricity provider.

  • Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) serves most of Nevada and Placer Counties, including the communities of Soda Springs and Norden near Truckee. 800-743-5002
  • Liberty Utilities serves some Truckee addresses and surrounding areas. 844-245-6868
  • Pioneer Community Energy serves most of Placer County and will cover the cities of Grass Valley and Nevada City in Nevada County in 2024. Pioneer uses PG&E wires and poles, so refer to PG&E outage maps in event of PSPS or other power outage. 844-937-7466 or 916-758-8969
  • Roseville Electric serves people within the city limits of Roseville only. Roseville Electric is not affected by PSPS events. 916-797-6937
  • Truckee Donner Public Utility District serves the Town of Truckee and some surrounding areas with power from NV Energy. 530-587-3896

If you do not know who provides your electricity, contact the utility companies above (you may not know if, for example, your landlord pays your utilities or you are visiting the area).

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OUTAGE MAPS

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211 PSPS CARE COORDINATION

211 PSPS Care Coordination is a program to help PG&E customers who have health and medical needs that require electricity. Care Coordination helps to get a plan in place for resources that can be used during a PSPS power outage. Call 211 or 833-342-5211 if you’re interested in this service. Callers will receive a follow up call from 211 Connecting Point staff so they can create their plan. The care coordination call will typically take 30-45 minutes.
 
Who qualifies?
PG&E customers who have access & functional needs, and/or are electricity dependent during a power outage (examples include medical equipment or medications that rely on power, accessibility equipment that relies on power, chronic conditions that require temperature control, etc).
 
What is Care Coordination?
Care Coordination helps you create a safety plan by providing information about what to do before, during, and after a power outage. The Care Coordinator can help you:

  • Build a list of emergency contacts and your support network
  • Register for alerts and notifications
  • Sign you up for programs you may be eligible for such as the PG&E Medical Baseline program and the Disability Disaster Access & Resources (DDAR) program
  • Identify support organizations and local emergency departments
  • Learn what important health and medical information to gather
  • Consider a backup power source for medical equipment and assistive technology
  • Consider transportation needs in case of power outages or other emergencies
  • Learn how to make your own emergency kits – a Go Bag and a Stay at Home checklist

Examples of programs you might be enrolled in or referred to by the Care Coordinator:

  • MEDICAL BASELINE ENROLLMENT – If you require the use of a medical or life support device due to a disability or health condition, 211 can help you apply for PG&E’s Medical Baseline Program.
  • CARE or FERA ENROLLMENT – CARE and FERA are PG&E discount programs that help eligible customers pay their energy bills.
  • DISABILITY DISASTER ACCESS & RESOURCES (DDAR) – DDAR assists individuals with disabilities and older adults in disaster readiness and recovery.

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BEFORE AN OUTAGE

Prepare | Alerts | Weather | Electric Garage Doors, Gates, & Elevators | Wells & Septic Systems | PG&E Resources & Safety Tips | Listos California Preparedness Resources | Propane | Land Clearing & Vegetation Management

PREPARE

See sections below for general preparation information before an outage. People with disabilities or other access and functional needs* can get assistance with planning.

* Access and Functional Needs – California AB 2311 identifies the “access and functional needs population as consisting of individuals who have developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, chronic conditions, injuries, limited English proficiencies, who are non-English speakers, older adults, children, people living in institutional settings, or those who are low income, homeless, or transportation disadvantaged, including but not limited to, those who are dependent on public transit and those who are pregnant.”

ALERTS

Electricity Providers

  • PG&E Alerts
    • Sign up for alerts from PG&E if you are a PG&E account holder
    • Sign up for alerts from PG&E for addresses where you are not the account holder, for example, your work address, child’s school, a relative’s home, people whose landlords are the account holder, people who are homeless, etc.
  • Truckee Donner Public Utility District Alerts
    • Click on My Account button to create online account
  • Liberty Utilities Alerts
    • For Liberty customer account holders only
    • Call 800-782-2506 to update your account’s contact information
    • Create online account for Liberty Utilities alerts if desired
    • Liberty will attempt to contact customers through calls, texts, and emails, using contact information on file.

Nevada County – SIGN UP for CodeRED

  • You can create a MANAGED account or create an UNMANAGED Guest account on your own. A managed account allows you to modify your existing notification settings and contact information. You may also customize the types of notifications you receive and add an additional address.
  • If you need assistance signing up for an UNMANAGED Guest account, call 2-1-1 or 833-342-5211 (833-DIAL211).

Placer County – SIGN UP for Placer Alerts

Or text your zip code, followed by a second text with the word “resume” to 88911 (This applies to new or existing subscribers. You will begin receiving Placer Alerts to your phone based on your zip code.)

WEATHER

ELECTRIC GARAGE DOORS, GATES, & ELEVATORS

  • Know how to manually open any electric garage doors or electric gates where you live, work, etc.
  • Know where the stairs are in any multi-story building served by elevators. And if you need assistance getting down the stairs, have a plan in place.

WELLS & SEPTIC SYSTEMS

  • When electric power is out, well pumps and septic systems that have pumps will not work. Be prepared with water for drinking, toilet flushing, etc.

PG&E RESOURCES & SAFETY TIPS

  • Learn about Public Safety Power Shutoffs (includes a timeline of a PSPS event)
  • Public Safety Power Shutoff website includes info on What you can do to prepare for a Public Safety Power Shutoff
  • Look up your address and see an outage map
  • Never touch downed wires: If you see a downed power line, assume it is energized and extremely dangerous. Do not touch or try to move it—and keep children and animals away. Report downed power lines immediately by calling 9-1-1 and then PG&E at 1-800-743-5002. 
  • Use generators safely: Customers with standby electric generators should ensure they are properly installed by a licensed electrician in a well-ventilated area. Improperly installed generators pose a significant danger to customers, as well as crews working on power lines. If using portable generators, be sure they are in a well-ventilated area. 
  • Use flashlights, not candles: During a power outage, use battery-operated flashlights, and not candles, due to the risk of fire. And keep extra batteries on hand. If you must use candles, please keep them away from drapes, lampshades, animals, and small children. Do not leave candles unattended. 
  • Have a backup phone: If you have a telephone system that requires electricity to work, such as a cordless phone or answering machine, plan to have a standard telephone or cellular phone ready as a backup. Having a portable charging device helps to keep your cell phone running.
  • Have fresh drinking water, ice: Freeze plastic containers filled with water to make blocks of ice that can be placed in your refrigerator/freezer during an outage to prevent foods from spoiling. Blue Ice from your picnic cooler also works well in the freezer. 
  • Turn off appliances: During an outage, unplug or turn off all electrical appliances to avoid overloading circuits and to prevent fire hazards when power is restored. Simply leave a single lamp on to alert you when power returns. Turn your appliances back on one at a time when conditions return to normal. 

LISTOS CALIFORNIA PREPAREDNESS RESOURCES

Listos California provides information in many languages to help people prepare for wildfire, flood, earthquake, drought, heatwave, and other disasters.

  • Listos California Disaster Preparedness Info
  • Resources – Listos California has free materials in many languages that you can use and share to promote disaster preparedness in your home and community. Find documents such as 5 Steps for Disaster Preparedness and First Aid Kit for Your Mind.
  • Disaster Directories by County – 58 Disaster Directories for each California county, with information to help highly vulnerable populations get ready for wildfires, earthquakes, floods and power shutoffs.
  • Hazard Maps – show risk of earthquake, wildfire, and flood by county.

PROPANE

  • If any of your appliances run on propane alone, contact your propane provider before a planned power outage to be sure you have enough.

LAND CLEARING & VEGETATION MANAGEMENT

Fire Safe Council of Nevada County has programs that can help with vegetation management.

  • Chipping Program – The Fire Safe Council of Nevada County will chip brush that is cleared from defensible space of any permanent structure, and/or 30’ from any roadside or driveway used for evacuation purposes. The chipping service is limited to 4 hours per customer per application and requests a donation of $75/hr.
  • Defensible Space Clearing Service – Landowners can request a quote for services from the Fire Safe Council. A member of their team will assess the desired work and formulate a reduced cost estimate that will help the landowner gain defensible space at the lowest rate possible while still supporting The Fire Safe Council of Nevada County and its programs.
  • Access & Functional Needs Program – Call to see if applications are currently being accepted 530-272-1122. Low-income residents who are either 65+ or disabled are eligible for free defensible space clearing services within 100′ of their homes. Applicants should be prepared to supply proof of residency, medical disability, and income. Income qualifications are based on HUD/HCD criteria. Staff is available to help answer questions or assist with paperwork.
  • 2023 Free Residential Green Waste Disposal Days – Fire Safe Council of Nevada County is offering Free Residential Green Waste Disposal Days 2023 in collaboration with the County of Nevada Office of Emergency Services and CAL FIRE.

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DURING AND AFTER AN OUTAGE

Community Resource Centers | Food Safety | Food Banks | Transportation | Shelter | Report Downed Trees on Public Roadways | Tree Work on Private Property

COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTERS

  • PG&E Community Resource Centers provide resources during a PSPS. Each center offers:
    • ADA-accessible restrooms
    • Device charging
    • Wi-Fi
    • Blankets
    • Air conditioning or heating (indoor centers only)
    • Bottled water, snacks and other supplies

FOOD SAFETY DURING & AFTER A POWER OUTAGE

FOOD BANKS

TRANSPORTATION

SHELTER DURING PSPS EVENTS

  • If you are in urgent need of shelter without any other resources, you may call 2-1-1 or 833-342-5211 to see if there are any options.
  • Some seniors and people with disabilities may be eligible for hotel vouchers or other assistance through FREED Center for Independent Living. 211 call agents can do screenings.
  • There is no guarantee that hotel vouchers or lodging will be available.

REPORT DOWNED TREES ON PUBLIC ROADWAYS

The following information is for PUBLIC ROADWAYS ONLY (no government or free/low-cost services are currently available for private property)

NEVADA COUNTY

In Unincorporated Nevada County

  • For urgent issues, such as a tree blocking a public road, report during business hours, M-F, 8 am-5 pm, by calling Public Works at 1-530-265-1411, or after hours call Sheriff’s Dispatch at 1-530-265-1471
  • Non-emergency concerns for public roadways, report through the Nevada County Service Request Tool.

In City Limits of Grass Valley, Nevada City, Town of Truckee

  • Grass Valley – City of Grass Valley Public Works Department. During business hours, M-F, 8am-5pm, call 530-274-4350. After hours call Nevada County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency dispatch at 530-265-7880.
  • Nevada City – Nevada City Public Works Department. During business hours, M-F, 8am-12pm & 1-5pm, call 530-265-2496. After hours call Nevada City Police Department at 530-265-2626.
  • Town of Truckee – Town of Truckee Public Works. During business hours, M-F, 8am-4pm, call 530-582-7707. After hours call the Town of Truckee Police Department non-emergency dispatch at 530-550-2320.

PLACER COUNTY

In Unincorporated Placer County

  • To report downed trees and limbs or road flooding and hazards, contact Roads Division at 530-745-7565 or pcroads@placer.ca.gov. They may or may not be able to assist as private roads, state highways, and city streets and roads are not maintained by Placer County.

In City Limits of Auburn, Colfax, Lincoln, Loomis, Rocklin, Roseville

  • Auburn – City of Auburn Planning & Public Works. During business hours, M-F, 8am-5pm, call 530-823-4205. After hours call Auburn Police Department at 530-823-4237.
  • Colfax – City of Colfax Public Works. Call 530-346-2313 any time. Number routes to on-call crew after business hours and on weekends.
  • Lincoln – City of Lincoln Public Works. During business hours, M-F, 8am-5pm, call 916-434-2450. After hours call Lincoln Police Department at 916-645-4040.
  • Loomis – Town of Loomis Public Works. During business hours, M-F, 8am-5pm, call Loomis Town Hall at 916-652-1840. After hours call 911.
  • Rocklin – City of Rocklin Public Services. During business hours, M-F, 7:30am-4pm call 916-625-5500. After hours call Rocklin Police Department at 916-625-5400.
  • Roseville – City of Roseville Public Works. During business hours, M-F, 7am-3:30pm call 916-774-5790. After hours call Roseville Police Department at 916-774-5000. If there is a power line down, stay away and call 911 immediately. Please report any trees in power lines to Roseville Electric at 916-797-6937.

TREE WORK ON PRIVATE PROPERTY

  • NEVADA COUNTY – People can search for and contact independent contractors through the Nevada County Contractors Association. At “Find a Contractor” search on “tree service”, etc. Or seek recommendations from family and friends, do a web search, etc. Contractors will charge fees for their services.
  • PLACER COUNTY – People can search for and contact independent contractors through the Placer County Contractors Association. At “Business Directory” under “Find a Contractor” select specialty “tree removal.” Or seek recommendations from family and friends, do a web search, etc.
  •  There are no established nonprofit or County programs to assist individual property owners with tree cleanup and tree removal after a storm, wildfire, or high wind event. If widespread need after an event becomes profound, steps may be taken to arrange some kind of assistance, such as green waste disposal days.
  • For Nevada County residents, see Fire Safe Council of Nevada County program info above at section Before a Power Outage, subsection LAND CLEARING & VEGETATION MANAGEMENT.

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TRUSTED INFORMATION SOURCES

NEVADA COUNTY

NEVADA COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES

NEVADA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

NEVADA COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS

In the event of a disaster, Nevada County Office of Emergency Services recommends the following trusted information sources (aka trusted news sources).

PLACER COUNTY

PLACER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

In the event of a disaster, County of Placer recommends the following trusted information sources (aka trusted news sources).

LOCAL RADIO STATIONS

West of the Sierra & Donner Summit

  • KAHI AM 950
  • KFBK AM 1530
  • KGBY FM 92.5
  • KNCO AM 830

East of the Sierra & Donner Summit

  • KOH AM 780
  • KOWL AM 1490
  • KRLT FM 93.9
  • KTKE FM 101.5

LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS

West of the Sierra & Donner Summit

  • KCRA Channel 3
  • KXTV Channel 10
  • KOVR Channel 13
  • KMAX Channel 31
  • KTXL Channel 40
  • KQCA Channel 58

East of the Sierra & Donner Summit

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