Storm damage causes hundreds to go without power in Southern Humboldt

PETROLIA, CA. – Storm damage keeps hundreds of Southern Humboldt residents in the dark.

Due to damaged equipment, about 300 PG&E customers in Petrolia have gone without power for over forty eight hours.

According to the Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services, storms caused harm to a major transmission line, and complete repairs could take up to a few days.

For now, Petrolia Volunteer Fire Department has made themselves available to work with residents with critical power needs.

Also in the meantime, PG&E is asking customers who are falling back on generators to consider safety guidelines,

They ask that you “ensure that the electricity from your unit does not flow back into the PG&E system, because this can cause damage and put you in danger.

‘Backfeed’ can also endanger PG&E line workers.

To avoid this problem, PG&E recommends letting them know when you plan to use a backup generator. If you’d like to look into what the best generators for you are, you could look generatorgrid.com and have a browse through the different options of generator and select one based on your needs.

They also advise users to place the generator in an area where it can vent, and to choose electric cords that are capable of carrying your generator’s electric load, because overloaded cords can overheat and cause fires or equipment damage.

For more information on generator safety, click here.