PG&E Repairs Completed Ahead of Schedule After Third-Party Construction Work Damages Transmission Towers in Burlingame; Highw...
August 29 2015 - 6:40PM
Business Wire
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) crews completed
repairs to three transmission towers in Burlingame ahead of
schedule, after a third party doing construction work severely
damaged the towers and related electrical equipment on Friday
night, halting traffic on Highway 101 on the Peninsula in both
directions.
Despite the severity of the damage caused by third-party
contractor Jafec USA Inc., PG&E was able to make the situation
safe, together with first responders and partner agencies, and
complete the repairs to its infrastructure necessary for the
California Highway Patrol (CHP) to re-open Highway 101 at 2:30 p.m.
today, two and a half hours ahead of schedule.
Caltrans provided three 70-foot wooden poles to allow PG&E
to quickly construct a temporary replacement for the most seriously
damaged tower. The crane operated by the third-party contractor
buckled the tower, and the resulting strain on the transmission
wires caused damage to the two other connected transmission
towers.
“Our partner agencies have done a tremendous job to help make
the situation safe for the public and assist in this major repair
and restoration effort. We appreciate the patience of the public,
the hard work of our employees to safely and quickly address the
situation, and the combined partnership of CHP, Caltrans,
Burlingame Fire Department and Burlingame Police Department
throughout the night and this morning,” said Jason Regan, Director
of Emergency Management at PG&E.
PG&E worked with first responders, including the CHP and
local police and fire agencies, during the incident to make the
area safe, resulting in no injuries. The CHP ordered occupants in
several vehicles to shelter in place until PG&E could
de-energize and ground the wires. PG&E appreciates the patience
of those who remained in their cars and the good work of the CHP to
keep these vehicle occupants safe.
PG&E had electric first responders on site within 10 minutes
of the accident, and additional resources and crews from across
Northern California were dispatched to the scene. Specialized
equipment, personnel and vehicles were integral for a repair
job of this magnitude on a primary artery of the electric
system.
PG&E activated its incident command and deployed two
PG&E Mobile Command Vehicles to manage the company’s
response.
In the coming weeks, PG&E will need to do further repairs or
replace the damaged towers before restringing and energizing the
wires.
Some important tips to remember when dealing with downed wires
include:
- Treat all low-hanging and downed power
lines as if they are energized and extremely dangerous.
- Keep yourself, other people and pets
away from them.
- Be aware of trees, pools of water and
other objects that may be in contact with downed power lines.
- If customers see damaged power lines
and electric equipment, they should call 911, and then notify
PG&E at 1-800-743-5002.
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
www.pge.com/en/about/newsroom/index.page.
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Pacific Gas and Electric CompanyErin Garvey, 415-973-5930
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