SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Responding to a request from a storm-battered Oregon utility, Pacific Gas and Electric Company will send 15 crews to assist in restoration of electric power to 375,000 Portland General Electric customers who lost power Thursday night after a severe winter storm, packing hurricane-strength winds, toppled trees and ripped down power poles. Crews will be mobilized from as far south as San Luis Obispo and as far North as Eureka.
"This vicious storm has wreaked havoc on the entire Pacific Northwest causing extensive damage and has left more than a million and half customers in Oregon and Washington without electricity," said Jeff Butler, Pacific Gas and Electric Company's senior vice president of energy delivery. "We hope that by sending our crews to assist Portland General Electric, Oregonians can celebrate a warm and bright holiday season."
The crews will rebuild distribution and transmission lines in Oregon, by replacing poles and hanging new wire. They are expected to be in Oregon for at least four or five days, possibly longer, depending on the extent of the damage that needs to be repaired.
Approximately 75 PG&E employees, consisting of crews and support personnel, are being deployed to Oregon over the next couple of days. PG&E also released 28 contract crews to support additional restoration efforts in the Pacific Northwest.
The crews will be deployed from several areas across northern and central California, instead of from one region, to ensure that PG&E is able to minimize any impact on its ability to provide safe, reliable service, as well as meet its on-going customer commitments. Pacific Gas and Electric Company is involved in a mutual aid network and has assisted sister utilities throughout the country respond to major events, such as hurricanes and wildfires.
For more information about Pacific Gas and Electric Company, please visit the company's web site at http://www.pge.com/.
