PG&E Reports Electric Service Restored to Homes and Businesses Impacted by Napa County Earthquake

Company Gas Service Representatives to Conduct Courtesy Gas Safety Checks Today

News provided by

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)

Aug 25, 2014, 03:16 ET

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Pacific Gas and Electric Company is reporting that electric service is restored for 70,000 customers affected by Sunday's Napa County earthquake.

The company continues to conduct gas safety surveys in the areas impacted by the Napa County earthquake.

PG&E proactively lowered the operating pressure of its Sonoma/Napa transmission pipeline system and conducted two patrols of the transmission system to ensure its integrity.

The company is also conducting extensive sweeps of the impacted communities using state-of-the-art leak detection vehicles to assess for distribution line leaks. Any leaks that are identified will be repaired immediately by onsite crews.

Beginning today, PG&E will also conduct courtesy gas safety checks at homes and businesses throughout the impacted area. These checks will continue over the next several days. Any customers who have concerns about their services should contact us at 1-800-743-5002.

Currently, there are 20 earthquake-related gas-distribution outages. PG&E is ready to restore these customers as soon as the impacted properties are ready to safely receive gas service.

"Our number-one focus is on the safety of families and local communities," said Chris Johns, president of Pacific Gas and Electric Company. "Although service is restored for almost everyone, our work isn't finished. We're continuing to conduct safety inspections for customers in their homes and businesses, and we're committed to taking whatever additional steps are necessary to assure everyone that PG&E's system is safe for customers and the public."

PG&E will continue to provide customers with as much information as possible about earthquake recovery efforts through our call center and website, as well as news and social media channels. PG&E will also relay information through its own news website, at www.pgecurrents.com; via Twitter, at www.twitter.com/pge4me; and on the company's Facebook page, at www.facebook.com/pacificgasandelectric.

How You Can Be Safe

If you smell gas or are experiencing another electric or gas service emergency as a result of this earthquake, please call 1-800-743-5002 immediately.

PG&E offers the following natural gas safety tips:

Check for building damage. If you smell or hear escaping gas, get everyone outside. Find a phone away from the building to call 911, PG&E (1-800-743-5002) and the fire department immediately.
If you smell or hear gas escaping, and are able to do so safely, shut off the gas at the main service valve using a 12- to 15-inch adjustable pipe or crescent-type wrench or other suitable tool. The valve is normally located near your gas meter.
Once you shut off the gas, do not turn it back on. Contact PG&E or another qualified professional to perform a safety inspection before gas service is restored and appliance pilots are lit.
If you suspect a gas leak, do not use electrical switches, appliances, telephones or anything with an open flame, because sparks can ignite gas from broken lines.
Customers without gas service are asked to stay as close to home as possible so that service can be restored when a PG&E representative arrives. If no one is at home, the representative will leave a notice with a number that customers can call to schedule a return visit.

If the earthquake has caused downed power lines or an outage, PG&E offers the following safety tips:

If you see a downed power line, assume it is "live" or carrying electric current. Do not touch or try to move it—and keep children and animals away. Report downed power lines immediately by calling 911 and by calling PG&E at 1-800-743-5002.
Do not use candles because of the risk of fire. If you must use candles, use extreme caution. Do not use candles near drapes or under lampshades. Keep candles away from small children and do not leave candles unattended.
If your power goes out, turn off or unplug all electric appliances; otherwise, several appliances may come back on at once and overload your circuits when power is restored. Hot appliances also pose a fire hazard if they come back on while you're away or asleep. 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.
Have battery-operated radios with fresh batteries ready for updates on earthquake response and power outages.
Have battery-operated flashlights with fresh batteries on hand.
Have a cell phone or hard-wire, single-line telephone on hand. Cordless phones will not work without electricity.
Fill used liter-size plastic soda bottles with water and place them in the freezer. During an extended outage, transfer them to your refrigerator to prevent food from spoiling. Open the refrigerator only when necessary to keep warm air out and cooler air in.
If you have a generator, inform PG&E and do not use it unless it is installed safely and properly. If it is not, you risk damaging your property and endangering yourself and PG&E line workers who may be working on nearby power lines. Information on the safe installation of generators can be found on our website at www.pge.com/generator.

About PG&E

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation's cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/ and http://www.pge.com/about/newsroom/.

http://www.pgecurrents.com
http://www.facebook.com/pacificgasandelectric
http://www.twitter.com/pge4me
http://www.linkedin.com/company/pacific-gas-and-electric-company
http://www.youtube.com/user/pgevideo

SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)