February 15, 2019 - Good morning all,

We are closely watching the forecast today and we see potential for more low snow in mountain communities as a very cold weather system moves south through the state.

In the Yosemite Division we have 858 customers out from yesterday’s storms. We expect about half of them to be restored by the end of the day today. We do not yet have access to many of the remaining outages and we are communicating directly with those customers that may experience extended outages. The majority of those customers are in the far northern portion of the Yosemite Division, near Sonora.

In the Fresno Division we have 733 customers again, the majority of them are also from yesterday’s storms. We should see the majority of these customers restored today.

We continue to monitor the situation at Bass Lake, where lake levels have reached the elevation of the spillway. We have not yet seen measurable spills, though water is trickling through the spill channel. We’ve notified local law enforcement and the Forest Service.

It’s not unusual for PG&E ‘s reservoirs to spill during the wettest parts of normal winters, because they tend to have less storage and are located at much higher elevations than state and federal multi-year water storage reservoirs like Millerton Lake and Pine Flat. PG&E’s reservoirs are designed to capture rain and snowmelt runoff in winter, spring and early summer to generate clean, renewable hydroelectric power.

Below are some water safety tips:

Water Safety Tips

• Sudden immersion in cold water can stimulate the “gasp reflex,” causing an involuntary inhalation of air or water. It can even trigger cardiac arrest, temporary paralysis, hypothermia and drowning. When faced with swift water, even the strongest swimmers may be easily overwhelmed.
• Cold water entering the ear canal can cause vertigo and disorientation. This may confuse swimmers, causing them to venture deeper into the water.
• Recreating in PG&E canals and flumes is strictly prohibited. Stay out of canals and flumes, which are very dangerous due to slippery sides and fast moving water.
  Source: PG&E
  
  
  Related Information:  Pacific Gas and Electric Company Provides Storm Update and Current Conditions at Bass Lake in Eastern Madera County