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July 8, 2010
June 1, 2010
May 22, 2010
April 17, 2010
March 3, 2010
To measure PG&E's performance, we need to log all power outages--even short ones. Please make a Power Outage Report.
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Good news! On May 28 PG&E agreed to install a new system which will dramatically improve service to about 6,000 Burlingame customers, plus others in neighboring cities such as Hillsborough and San Mateo. The project will use new "Intelli-Team" software that has only been used once before - quite successfully, they tell us - in San Francisco. PG&E will spend $3 million this project, which will begin in July and be up and running by late October. Once it is installed, the system will quickly isolate a power outage and switch power back on to all but a small area within a couple of minutes. It will not cost our city any money or staff time. I requested this meeting with PG&E on behalf of Burlingame residents and members of Burlingamers Unwilling to Live with Blackouts (BULB) who have complained about power outages. A few neighbors complained of ongoing problems with service. But the chief topic discussed at the meeting was the three major outages that affected more than 7,400 customers on March 29, April 2 and May 1. One of those outages was caused by a duck; another was caused by a seagull. We told PG&E we expected better service and very pleased that they have agreed to install this new system. You can read an article about the meeting in the San Mateo County Times here.
The Intelli-Team project will include the following circuits: Bay Meadows 2101, Bay Meadows 2102, Burlingame 2101 and San Mateo 2101. Here are some of the areas that will have improved service:
Many thanks to all of you who log power outages on the Power Outage Form on this website. We use this data to document problems in power reliability in our discussions with PG&E. You can view the Power Outage Log to see all outages logged since 2005.
Background on BULB
Blackouts used to be a common occurrence for many Burlingame citizens and businesses. That changed when Terry Nagel formed a group of concerned citizens called Burlingamers Unwilling to Live with Blackouts (BULB).
Power outages started increasing in frequency during 2002 and became intolerable during the winter of 2002-03, when thousands of households experienced blackouts for one to four days. Residents suffered major hardships due to power failures. Homes were flooded when sump pumps failed and people with electrically powered medical equipment faced serious health hazards. People shivered in their homes, and cars and belongings in underground garages were ruined. But Burlingame residents got nowhere when they complained to Pacific Gas & Electric and City Hall.
After Terry formed Burlingamers Unwilling to Live with Blackouts (BULB) and members began meeting with PG&E on a regular basis, power service improved dramatically in Burlingame. Between 2002 and 2003, the average Burlingame household experienced an 85 percent decrease in outages. During 2003-04, PG&E:
Terry found that the key to getting PG&E’s attention was getting large numbers of citizens to turn out at meetings. More than 200 people attended a Town Hall Meeting that Terry arranged with representatives of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on December 16, 2002. At BULB’s urging, residents and businesses filed more than 250 written complaints with the CPUC.
Although PG&E was invited to that meeting, no PG&E representatives bothered to attend. Their absence angered then-CPUC Commissioner Carl Wood, who did attend, and he vowed to take action.
When Terry arranged another Town Hall Meeting on January 16, 2003, more than 250 citizens attended and this time PG&E representatives did show up. They promised to improve service to Burlingame, and they were true to that promise.
The Way It Is
Terry continues to advocate for better ways of measuring power reliability. She urges citizens to log all power outages (after power is restored) by filling out a Power Outage Form on her Web site. She reviews this data with PG&E to advocate for better service. In January 2007, while serving as mayor, she wrote to PG&E about poor customer service and recurring problems in several parts of Burlingame.
The Log of Power Outages provides valuable data for reporting these problems. PG&E claims to have no record of many of the outages that residents experience.
The Way It Might Be
On numerous occasions, Terry has suggested that PG&E and the CPUC make it possible for citizens to report power outages on PG&E and CPUC Web sites. She also favors standardizing the metrics that power companies use to report power reliability, so that consumers can see how their power company’s performance compares with others. It is impossible to compare performance at the present time, since every power company uses different metrics. Reliability performance is used to justify rate increases and bonuses for power company executives.
If you need assistance with a PG&E problem, please email Terry at terry@terrynagel.com.
It is critical for us to be able to provide PG&E with an accurate report of outages and their impact on our community. If you have experienced an outage, please enter the details in the Power Outage Form.
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Did you know that your power outage won’t get priority in PG&E’s Customer Service system unless two people in the same circuit report it? Are you aware that calling from a cell phone makes it harder for PG&E to track your account?
PG&E has created a new list of Helpful Hints for Customers Reporting Outages. Learn how to get the best service from their system.