PGE PSPS Update – State of the network

Well in to the third full day without power I thought I’d send an email to update everyone on the state of things related to our network and answer a few common questions.
The vast majority of the network has been fully operational during this extended outage.  A large number of our sites are solar powered and thus not affected.  However, our head-end in Ukiah and a handful of critical macro sites that serve large geographical areas are grid powered.  These grid powered sites have been running continuously on generator and backup batter power for the duration of the outage and will continue to do so.  
Some smaller micro-relay sites that serve small number of subscribers have either been partially impacted by the power outage, or totally down during the power outage.  The vast majority of subscribers served from these micro-relays would not have noticed though, as they are also without an alternative power source.  The number of customers served by such sites that haven’t been continuously up, account for 13% of our total subscriber count.  Unfortunately there are a large number of these small sites and it is unrealistic for us to move generators and fuel around to all of them for such a wide-spread and extended outage.
Of the remaining 87% of customers, almost 50% have been online during the power outage at some point.  Either because they are already off-grid, or they have used a generator or other alternative power source to get online.
Areas currently affected by the power outage (on our end of things) include the following:
– Fort Bragg  to Westport – all subscribers – Redwood Valley – Uva Drive, North State Street, and surrounding area (11 subscribers) – Downtown Ukiah – Between Stanley and Clay – Laytonville – all subscribers – Old River Road – From Ruddick Cunningham South – McNab Ranch – Subscribers served from McNab Ridge Winery – Hopland – about 20 subscribers – Blue Lakes – about 25 subscribers east of Irvine Ave
Affected areas above will resume normal operation when power is restored in those locations.
It’s always my hope to provide the most reliable service to all subscribers.  These power shutoffs are a great test of plans that have been put in place, and expose many areas in which we can improve.   Some very positive infrastructure changes in our network will result from this experience.
I want to send a special thank you to those on Orr Springs road that jumped at the opportunity to help with keeping things afloat this weekend when a call went out. It is truly appreciated.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call or email.
Thanks,
– Jacob