Starting on Wednesday, October 9, 2019, California electric utility Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) shut off electricity to hundreds of thousands of customers in 34 California counties. PG&E had restored electricity to all of those customers by Saturday, October 12. PG&E attributed its decision to shut off electricity to gusty winds and dry conditions in the area, which increases the risk of fires that could be caused or exacerbated by damaged power lines and other electric equipment. The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Hourly Electric Grid Monitor shows the effect of the shutoff event within PG&E and on the larger electric grid system in California.
