Hide Transcript Show Transcript

WEBVTT COMPLAINING ABOUT FREQUENT POWER INTERRUPTIONS. KELLIE: KCRA 3’S MIKE LUERY HAS UNCOVERED WHAT’S CAUSING THE PROBLEM. MIKE: DOLE’S TOUCHLESS CAR WASH IN RIO VISTA IS SHUT DOWN TODA DUE TO FREQUENT POWER INTERRUPTIONS THAT AFFECTED THE WATER SOFTENER. >> IT COSTS US A LOT OF MONEY. THIS IS THE ONLY ONE IN TOWN AND IT NEVER STOPS. PEOPLE COME HERE CONSTANTLY TO WASH THEIR CAR NOW WE CAN’T. MIKE: AND AT AGNELLO’S CORN DELI, THIS CASH REGISTER HAS BEEN KNOCKED OFF-LINE MULTIPLE TIMES. >> I CANNOT TAKE CREDIT CARDS. I CAN’T RING ANYTHING IN MIKE: AND IT’S NOT JUST A ONE-TIME THING. HOW OFTEN DOES THIS HAPPEN >> EVERY DAY. AND SEVERAL TIMES A DAY. MIKE: AT RIO VISTA CITY HALL, BUSINESS HAS BEEN INTERRUPTED NEARLY EVERY DAY THIS MONTH FOR UP TO A MINUTE AT A TIME. >> I’VE BEEN HERE 2.5 YEARS. AND I’VE HAD PROBABLY MORE POW INTERRUPTIONS THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS THAN I’VE SEEN THE REST OF MY TIME HERE. MIKE: AND THE FIRE DISTRICT IS ALSO HAVING INTERRUPTIONS. >> EVERY DAY WE HAVE TWO OR THREE POWER FLICKERS, COMPUTERS SHUT DOW MIKE: THE POWER INTERRUPTIONS HERE IN RIO VISTA GO FAR BEYOND CITY HALL AND LOCAL BUSINESSES. THEY ARE ALSO AFFECTING RESIDENTS HERE IN THIS TOWN OF SOME 8000 PEOPLE. >> SO FOR ME, WHEN THE POWER GOES OUT I HAVE TO COME OUT HERE WHETHER IT’S RAINING OR SHINING SOMETIMES WITH A FLASHLIGHT AND IT WILL POP MY BREAKERS. MIKE: KATRINA MUSICK SAYS SHE’ LOST POWER REPEATEDLY AT HOME AND CONTACTED PG&E AT LEAST THREE TIMES. >> AND THEY SAID A TECHNICIAN WOULD BE OUT WITHIN AN HOUR, SO TO MAKE SURE I WAS HOME AND NO TECHNICIAN SHOWED UP ANY OF THOSE THREE TIMES. AND THAT’S JUST IN THE LAST WEEK. MIKE: THE POWER OUTAGES HAVE BEEN MYSTIFYING RIO VISTA RESIDENTS FOR WEEKS. AND HERE’S WHAT’S CAUSING THEM. MIGRATORY BIRDS ARE TO BLAME, ACCORDING TO PG&E. THEY ARE CAUSING ARCING OF THE POWER LINES WHEN THEY TAKE OFF IN LARGE GROUP THE UTILITY SAYS STARLING DUCKS AND GEESE IN THE AREA CAN CONTACT THE ELECTRIC LIN RESULTING IN MOMENTARY OUTAGES, ESPECIALLY DURING THE FALL AND EARLY WINTER MONTHS. PG&E SAYS IN THE SHORT TERM, IT WILL REROUTE POWER TO CUSTOMERS AND THEN REPLACE THE POWER LINES WITH COATED WIRES IN THE LONG TERM. BUT NOT FAST ENOUGH FO RESIDENTS LIKE JANELL CROUSON. >> I JUST WORRY ABOUT

Advertisement What's causing constant power outages in Solano County? Mysterious power outages anger Rio Vista residents Share Shares Copy Link Copy

For weeks, Rio Vista residents have been trying to solve a mystery: What’s causing their lights and power to flicker and then turn off for 15 to 60 seconds at a time?“I’ve been here two-and-a-half years,” Rio Vista City Manager Rob Hickey said. “I’ve seen more power outages in the past couple of weeks than my entire time here.”Hundreds of homeowners, businesses and even the fire district complained about frequent power interruptions, which some say date back to mid-September.Dole’s Touchless Car Wash in Rio Vista was shut down on Wednesday due to frequent power outages that affected the water softener.“It costs us a lot of money,” car wash manager Shane Maynard said. “This is the only one in town and it never stops. People come here constantly to wash their cars. Now, we can’t.”At Agnello’s Corner Deli, the cash register has been knocked offline multiple times.“I cannot take credit cards,” owner Jolly Heshmaty said. “I cannot ring anything in.”It’s not just a one-time event.It happens, “every day -- and several times a day,” Heshmaty said.At Rio Vista City Hall, business has been interrupted nearly every day this month for up to a minute at a time.“We have experienced significant power interruptions, particularly over the past several weeks,” Hickey said.The Montezuma Fire Protection District is also having interruptions.“Every day, we have two or three power flickers, computers shut down,” Montezuma Assistant Fire Chief Dan Schindler said.Residents in this town of 9,000 people are also affected.“So, for me when the power goes out, I have to come out here whether it’s raining or shining,” said Katrina Musick, whose main circuit box is on the outside of her home. “It will pop my breakers."Musick said she’s repeatedly lost power and has contacted PG&E at least three times.“They said a technician would be out within an hour,” Musick said. “No technician showed up any of those three times. And, that’s just in the last week.”So, what’s causing the multiple power outages?Migratory birds are to blame, PG&E said. The utility explained the birds are causing the power lines to arc when they take off in large groups. “Starling, ducks and geese in the area can contact the electric lines resulting in momentary outages, especially during the fall and early winter months,” PG&E spokesperson Brandi Merlo said.Merlo said PG&E will reroute power to customers in the short term and replace the power lines with coated wires in the long term. Merlo said its government representative is now providing updates to the city of Rio Vista. PG&E is also trying to find the best way to notify customers about the bird migration, Merlo said.