Last year, California utilities rolled out public safety power shut-offs that cut off service to millions of customers during times of high fire risk, when weather conditions could damage their power lines. PG&E — which has previously said that its 70,000-square mile service territory is particularly prone to fires — turned off the power to 975,000 customer accounts in late October.
The CPUC’s new proposal would require the IOUs to “prioritize, streamline, and expedite microgrids and resiliency projects” that can be set up by Sept. 1, with the intention of keeping critical facilities and other customers powered during the shut-offs, the commission said in a press release.
