Manager’s Message – June 2022

Dear Members:

As wildfire season rapidly approaches, we all need to be prepared. Learn how to protect your home and family on the Prevent Wildfire CA website. Part of being prepared includes being ready for Public Safety Power Shutoffs.

Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) plans to turn off portions of its grid during extreme fire danger, high-wind events and other critical situations. PG&E has notified us it intends to disconnect lines in medium- to high-risk areas in the Sierras. This could affect our primary power supply that comes through Feather River Canyon.

When PG&E notifies us it intends to shut off our transmission feed, we will provide as much notice as possible to members. Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative (PSREC) will post information to our website, Facebook and Twitter, our SmartHub app, and via email and text message. To sign up for text message and email notifications, log in to the SmartHub app from your mobile device or from our website and set your notification preferences. If you need assistance, please call us at (530) 832-4261.

During PG&E shutoff events, we will switch to our backup transmission feed from NV Energy if that connection is available. There is a limit to how much energy we can bring through that line, so members should be prepared for outages and rolling blackouts. If NV Energy also decides they must de-energize their line due to high fire danger, members of the cooperative will be in the dark.

During a power outage, please disconnect all nonessential electrical loads. Every light and appliance turned off will help PSREC re-energize more of our system. If our power transmission system is constrained, conservation helps keep our electrical system stable and enables us to serve you and your neighbors.

Preparing for power outages can help make the best of a bad situation. Equip your home with a power outage kit that includes a flashlight; battery-powered lamp or lantern and extra batteries; candles and matches; a battery-powered radio with extra batteries; easily accessible emergency phone numbers for your utility, doctor, fire and police; a telephone connected directly to the phone jack (cordless phones need electricity to operate); a one-week supply of drinking water and nonperishable food; and a cooler for storing frequently used foods. Food spoils more quickly if the refrigerator door is opened. Keep these items on hand to make an outage more tolerable: a manual can opener, an alternative cooking source, and a deck of cards, board games and books.

If someone in your home depends on electric-powered, life-sustaining equipment, make a plan for backup power.

If you are going to install a generator and connect to your home’s electrical system, make sure it is done to code using an automated system such as a Generac switch or a manual double-pull double-throw switch that separates your house from the grid. Failure to do so could cause injury or fire, leading to potentially massive liability on your part and disconnection from the grid, if discovered. For more information on a double-pull double throw switch, please talk to a licensed electrician. Plumas-Sierra offers a $500 rebate for the purchase of a generator to its members on its medical necessity list. To receive a generator rebate form, please call (530) 832-4261 extension 6032.

Never use a generator, grill, camp stove or other gasoline, propane or charcoal-burning device inside a home or garage. Place the unit away from doors, windows and vents to prevent exposure to carbon monoxide.

Please install surge protectors on any sensitive electronics and appliances. Be sure to buy surge protectors that have a warranty for your connected load.

PSREC sends outage information via text, email and social media. Follow PSREC on Facebook and Twitter for outage notifications. To sign up for text and/or email notifications, log in to SmartHub to set your notification preferences. Through the SmartHub app, you can report outages and view the latest outage information on PSREC’s outage map.

Telecommunications

Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications (PST) continues to expand and upgrade its broadband network throughout the region. We now provide fiber optic service to areas of Portola, Quincy, Graeagle, Plumas Pines, Johnsville, Mohawk Vista, Janesville, Quincy, and many other towns and neighborhoods.

The California Public Utilities Commission has added another step in the grant process, which has added a bit of time to the start of our next set of grants. Please check our website at www.pst.coop for additional information.

PST’s fiber optic service offers speeds up to 1 gigabyte per second. Our coaxial service offers speeds up to 25 megabytes a second, and our wireless broadband service offers download speeds up to 20 Mbps. With these speeds, you can stream videos on multiple devices at the same time without slowing down. You could even replace your TV provider with streaming services.

PST sends outage information via text and social media. Follow us on Facebook for outage notifications. To sign up for text notifications, text PSTBB to (800) 555-2207.

For more information and to sign up for service, call us at (530) 832-4261 or visit our website.

Office Now Partially Open

PSREC and PST business can be conducted at our offices through a walk-up window. Walk-ups are available Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

We are scheduling appointments for more specialized issues, such as new member sign-ups, payments, capital credits questions and scheduling engineering for new construction. Appointments make sure the right people are available.

If you have any questions, please contact me at (530) 832-4261 extension 6076 or email me.

Sincerely,
Bob Marshall
General Manager