‘Access Is Horrible’: PG&E Faces Challenges Getting Power Back To 60,000 Customers In Foothills

COLFAX (CBS13) — Tens of thousands of PG&E customers successful the Sierra Foothills are waiting for their powerfulness to instrumentality aft a record-breaking wintertime tempest wreaked havoc connected trees and powerfulness lines successful the area.

Mike Schutte, PG&E Sierra Field Operations superintendent, told CBS13 that arsenic of Tuesday afternoon, 207 outages were affecting astir 60,000 customers.

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The biggest obstacle to getting powerfulness back? “Access,” says Schutte, “It’s the snow. It’s a slow-go.”

Meanwhile, customers similar Mackenzie Herren person been stranded for days with nary power.

“I’ve ne'er seen a concern similar this,” the Colfax nonmigratory tells CBS13. “So yeah, I’m implicit it.”

Mackenzie says histrion limbs — and, astatine times, full trees — person been falling similar clockwork astir their home.

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“Every 30 minutes oregon so, you’ll perceive them break,” she said.

Schutte says those trees are astatine the basal of the problem.

“It’s called the Sierra cement for a reason,” helium says of the snowpack. “The trees conscionable can’t instrumentality the weight.”

Schutte says the saturated crushed adds occupation from below, leaving the trees and the powerfulness lines astir them without a warring chance.

Herren says he’s sympathetic toward the elements PG&E has to look to get the powerfulness back, but helium wishes the institution would connection much communication: “When are they really coming? How galore things bash they person to get to earlier us?”

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Schutte stresses the request for patience, though helium admits it’s easier said than done.