UPDATE (11 a.m.) - Separate issues caused power to go out overnight in parts of Atascadero and outside Lompoc.
In the Vandenberg Village area, an outage impacted approximately 2,400 PG&E customers starting at around 2 a.m.
PG&E reports the outage was caused by a raccoon making contact with powerlines.
Powerlines in the area are protected by Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings (EPSS), which allow power to be turned off within one-tenth of a second after a hazard on the lines is detected in order to prevent a fire from sparking, according to the utility company.
Power was restored at around 2:37 a.m.
PG&E states the Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings are not always on, but warns that customers may experience more outages in the coming weeks.
“As we move into September and October, when vegetation is driest and wildfire risk is typically at its highest, customers on EPSS-enabled circuits may experience more outages. Because power turns off quickly when a hazard is detected, we cannot notify customers in advance. However, these settings are a critical tool to help keep communities safe by preventing wildfire ignitions before they have a chance to start,” a PG&E spokesperson told KSBY.
For more information on EPSS and whether your area is covered by them, click here.
In Atascadero, PG&E states an underground equipment issue knocked out power to more than 1,800 customers at around 2 a.m.
“Underground electric issues can be challenging to diagnose due to the equipment not being visible. As a result, restoration can take longer,” the spokesperson said.
After locating the issue, PG&E states power was fully restored by 10 a.m.
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ORIGINAL STORY: PG&E reports that there is an outage affecting 2,411 customers in the Vandenberg Village area. Another large outage is affecting 1,636 people in the Atascadero area.
PG&E says the outages were both reported around 2 a.m. and crews are currently working to turn the power back on.
The company estimates the power will be back on in the Atascadero area around 9 a.m and around 6:15 a.m. in the Vandenberg Village area.
They have not yet released the cause of the outages.
