PG&E Using Generators to Power Cohasset Ahead of Repopulation

By Paul Moreno

Thanks to the efforts of firefighters, much of the Butte County community of Cohasset was saved while the Park Fire burned all around it. Power lines serving Cohasset from Chico were damaged by the fire, but PG&E has already restored power to much of the community by installing utility-scale generators.

"With much of Cohasset spared by the Park Fire, we were able to essentially create an island and on Tuesday night restored power to 180 customers, including some communication towers," said Joe Wilson, vice president of PG&E's North Valley & Sierra Region. "We did this so that once evacuation orders for Cohasset are lifted, many people coming home will already have power."

Two generators are set up at a former elementary school and PG&E has disconnected intact powerlines from those damaged by the fire. Because Cohasset is normally powered by power lines from Chico, many poles and power lines were lost in the fire and will take time to repair.

In areas where Cal Fire has determined it is safe for PG&E crews are already at work to remove fire-damaged trees and wreck out damaged utility poles and power lines and prepare to rebuild power lines.

PG&E has more than 300 personnel and contractors in the field working to protect infrastructure and work to rebuild power lines.