Dear Members:
The annual meeting is Thursday, September 4, at the Sierra Valley Grange Hall. The August issue of Ruralite will have meeting details and voting materials for the director election, as well as information on how to watch the meeting live on YouTube. Be sure to look for that information.
In the editing process for the May issue of Ruralite, we said Districts 1, 3, and 4 were up for reelection. That information was incorrect.
Up for election in 2025 are District 2 (Graeagle-Mohawk area) and District 5 (Doyle- Lake Davis-Long Valley/Scott Road-Washoe County areas).
If you are interested in running for the Plumas-Sierra Rural Electric Cooperative (PSREC) board of directors and live in 1 of those districts, contact me as soon as possible. The deadline for nominations by petition is July 21.
If you are unsure of your district, visit our website to view the map or call the office at (530) 832-4261. A copy of the PSREC director qualifications and nomination procedures (PDF) is available online.
Members & PST Customers
Plumas-Sierra will be migrating to an updated software platform on July 1. This will continue through July 3. During this time, we will not be able to take payments, make updates to your account, or perform many other customer-service functions. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience while we work to improve our systems.
District Boundary Change
The district boundaries have been changed slightly to balance our director districts. District 5, served by incumbent David Hansen (and up for election this year), was reduced in size when the Chilcoot, Vinton, and Frenchman Lake Road area was moved to District 4, Dave Roberti’s district.
Telecommunications
Plumas-Sierra Telecommunications (PST) has installed new wireless equipment capable of speeds up to 100 Mbps by 100 Mbps in the following areas: Meadow’s Edge RV Park, Clydesdale Drive in Red Rock, and Riverview Estates. We are upgrading our network with a new wireless system everywhere we currently have wireless, except where it’s being replaced with fiber-optic. If you are interested in signing up for service, contact PST at (530) 832-4126 to schedule your installation.
Construction in Grizzly Ranch is finishing and will soon be ready for installation. As mentioned in my column previously, the Graeagle Meadows area is ready for fiber installation, as well as areas in Graeagle on the following streets: Paiute Trail, Tolowa Trail, Karok Trail, Yokut Trail, Whilkut Trail, Wintun Trail, and Yurok Trail.
PST crews are continuing PST’s fiber optic build in Quincy and surrounding areas throughout the year. Not all homes within Quincy proper are covered by the grant. Those households may not be eligible for free installation or trenching, if required. PST crews and contractors have also been busy in the Loyalton and Sierra Brooks areas. Call (530) 832-4126 to check your home’s eligibility and potential installation costs, as well as to be placed on our waitlist.
The application deadline for the next round of California Advanced Services Fund grants has been postponed until October 31, but PST will be applying for funding from that grant program later this year.
PST’s fiber-optic service offers speeds up to 1 Gigabit per second, with 10G service commercially available in some areas. Our wireless broadband service offers download speeds up to 100 Mbps in some areas.
For more information or to sign up for service, call (530) 832-4261 or visit the PST website.
Reliability
Providing reliable power to our members is and will always be our priority.
As the energy industry transitions and more segments of the economy become electrified, such as vehicles, machinery, and lawn equipment, more pressure is placed on our nation’s electric grid.
With summer upon us, it is a good time to remind members about a few measures PSREC takes to ensure you continue to receive the reliable power you depend on.
While trees provide shade and add beauty to our area, overgrown vegetation accounts for about half of all power outages. We strive to keep the co-op’s power lines clear in right-of-way areas. A ROW is the land a co-op uses to construct, maintain, replace, or repair underground and overhead power lines. ROWs ensure PSREC can provide clearance from trees and other obstructions that could hinder the distribution of power lines. The goal of our vegetation management strategy is to provide reliable power to our members while maintaining the beauty of our area.
PSREC’s drone captures images of power lines and vegetation so we can accurately monitor the health of trees and pinpoint problems along the lines. Drone data is incorporated into our routine maintenance and inspections.
Generally speaking, healthy trees don’t fall on power lines, and clear lines don’t cause problems. However, this has not always been the case. We are seeing more healthy trees come down during winter storms. Proactive trimming and pruning keep lines clear to improve power reliability.
As advancements become more accessible and costs drop, we anticipate using additional technologies to ensure a consistent energy supply while managing the environment.
To learn about the latest co-op updates, follow PSREC on social media.
Public Safety Power Shutoffs
Be prepared as wildfire season approaches. Learn how to protect your home and family on the Prevent Wildfire website. Part of being prepared includes being ready for Public Safety Power Shutoffs.
PG&E plans to turn off portions of its grid during extreme fire danger, high wind, and other critical situations. PG&E will 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. Information will be posted on our website, Facebook and Twitter, our SmartHub app, and via email and text message. To sign up for text messages and email notifications, log in to the SmartHub app from your mobile device or from the PREC website and set your notification preferences. If you need assistance, call (530) 832-4261.
During PG&E shutoff events, PSREC 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 deenergize their line due to high fire danger, members of the cooperative will be without power.
Disconnect all nonessential electrical loads during a power outage. If our power transmission system is constrained, conservation helps keep our electrical system stable and enables us to serve you and your neighbors.
If you have questions, contact me by phone at (530) 832-4261 extension 6076 or by emailing Bob Marshall.
Sincerely,
Bob Marshall
General Manager