URGENT: PG&E Announces Immediate Power Shut Off Events in Napa & 30+ Northern California Counties The PG&E PSPS Outage Center is forecasting outage events affecting customers in nearly 30 counties across Northern California between Thursday (10/17) and Saturday (10/20). One of the heaviest impacted places is Napa Valley and the surrounding areas.  What can you do?  - Review the announcement and map  - Make sure PG&E has your correct, current contact information  - Sign up for PG&E notifications  - Prepare your backup power supply We have towable generators ready to help ensure your business doesn't have to be impacted by these outages. If you are concerned about losing power, contact us to arrange for a generator rental. Call 866-468-7697 or email us at customersupport@gotpower.com -- we are here to help! 

Power outages are always a disruptive inconvenience in our lives, but that won’t stop them from happening every now and then. This is especially true since fires are becoming more common in California. The stormy winter of 2022 / 2023 has also taught us that risks exist year round. If you want to avoid these unexpected downtimes, you need an electrical supply you can count on, even during PG&E’s public safety power shutoff events. This is important not only for households, but also for businesses and commercial properties. Generators are an investment that can save you money in the long run by preventing downtime. They’re a great backup for when sudden power outages occur. There are two main types of generators: stationary and portable / towable. In this article, we’ll focus on stationary generators and how long you should expect it to take to select, order, and install one at your site.  [read the full article here]

In an age where reliable power is essential for businesses and critical infrastructure, generator maintenance is the unsung hero that keeps the lights on when the grid fails. However, keeping your generator in top shape is not as simple as it might seem. Many generator owners make critical generator maintenance mistakes that can lead to costly breakdowns and downtime. In this blog, we’ll explore the importance of preventative generator maintenance and discuss some common mistakes to avoid in generator upkeep.  The Importance of Preventative Maintenance Before diving into the common generator maintenance mistakes, let’s emphasize why preventative maintenance is crucial. Your generator is an investment in your power security, and neglecting its care can lead to disastrous consequences. Routine maintenance ensures that your generator is always ready to kick into action when needed, providing peace of mind and reliability. 7 Generator Maintenance Mistakes to Avoid Neglect

In the fast-paced world of business and industry, ensuring continuous power supply is a top priority. When grid power fails, whether due to natural disasters, maintenance, or unexpected outages, a reliable backup generator can make all the difference. In Northern California, where wildfires and other challenges can disrupt power sources, generator rental is a crucial solution for maintaining operations. In this blog post, we’ll explore five essential considerations for generator rental in 2023 to keep your business running smoothly and efficiently.  1. Planning Ahead: Reserving Your Generator The first step in ensuring uninterrupted power during emergencies is to plan ahead. Generator rental availability can become scarce during peak seasons or when large-scale events occur. To avoid being left in the dark, reserve your generator well in advance. By doing so, you’ll secure access to the generator capacity your business needs when it matters most. When reserving your

What is a Brownout? According to Wikipedia, A brownout is an intentional or unintentional drop in voltage in an electrical power supply system. Intentional brownouts are used for load reduction in an emergency.  The reduction lasts for minutes or hours, as opposed to short-term voltage sag (or dip). The term brownout comes from the dimming experienced by lighting when the voltage sags. A voltage reduction may be an effect of disruption of an electrical grid, or may occasionally be imposed in an effort to reduce load and prevent a power outage known as a blackout.  Different types of electrical apparatus will react in different ways to a sag. Some devices will be severely affected, while others may not be affected at all. In most cases, brownouts are deliberately produced by energy providers as an emergency measure to prevent the system from failing completely (blacking out). Typically a utility will decrease system voltage by 10-25%, usually for a short period of t

Extended power outages may impact the whole community and the economy. A power outage is when the electrical power goes out unexpectedly. A power outage may: 1. Disrupt communications, water, and transportation. 2. Close retail businesses, grocery stores, gas stations, ATMs, banks, and other services. 3. Cause food spoilage and water contamination. 4. Prevent use of medical devices. Note that your site doesn’t even need to be in a high wildfire risk area. If the transmission line that services your property runs through a high risk area, PG&E’s plan may require them to shut off your power along with many other customers. Make sure PG&E has your proper contact information so you get notified about a planned outage. Visit this link to confirm. If you have a stationary generator, make sure it is sufficient. Even if it doesn’t have many hours on it, it could be too old to be worth repairing or maintaining. Update or prepare a written plan for when an outage occur

CD&P GM Lisa Carter attended a Town Hall about Public Safety Power Shut-Offs hosted by Congressman Jerry McNerney last week. The outlook is grim with the hot, dry weather - wildfires are a certainty this year.  Pacific Gas & Electric filed its state-mandated 2021 wildfire safety plan in February. The extensive plan proposes to clear vegetation, inspect power lines, install sensors and cameras, and otherwise invest in efforts to prevent a recurrence of the deadly wildfires that pushed the Northern California utility into bankruptcy. But perhaps the most controversial part of PG&E’s plan is to dramatically expand the scope of planned grid outages, which are intended to preempt the risk of its grid sparking more deadly wildfires this summer, and the disruptions and dangers those blackouts could cause. Please visit our PGE Planned Power Outages resource page to see what you can expect and how to prepare, stay safe and prepare your business now in order to mini

Red Zone Preparation.   At the top of an NFL defensive coordinator’s to-do list, you are likely to find: get the red zone defense into playoff condition. The coach is working it nonstop, from opening day at camp and throughout the season. A team’s drive to the playoffs demands a shut-down red-zone package. In Northern California, we are all approaching our red zone now, stacked up against the forces of hot weather, crushing winds, and wildfires. At the same time, we must deal with intentional power shutdowns scheduled to protect the overworked electric grid. Whether it is a small portable or a massive standby, the generator is the middle linebacker of your power backup strategy. Weekly Generator Workout The sound of a diesel generator humming along in a blackout is music to our ears but, between emergencies, generators tend to be neglected. You need to exercise the generator weekly or at minimum, every other week. If the generator is not run for long p

Pacific Gas & Electric filed its state-mandated 2021 wildfire safety plan in February. The extensive plan proposes to clear vegetation, inspect power lines, install sensors and cameras, and otherwise invest in efforts to prevent a recurrence of the deadly wildfires that pushed the Northern California utility into bankruptcy. Considering backup power? Start Here.  But perhaps the most controversial part of PG&E’s plan is to dramatically expand the scope of planned grid outages, which are intended to preempt the risk of its grid sparking more deadly wildfires this summer, and the disruptions and dangers those blackouts could cause. Why Power Outages Will Be Common Across Northern California Again in 2021 In PG&E’s extensive  2021 wildfire mitigation plan they confirm what we’ve all been noticing — that “The last few years have demonstrated how California’s wildfire season continues to grow longer and more devastating.”

Last summer we all experienced a record heat wave of triple digit temperatures which forced periodic power shutoffs to users across California. Moving forward, we should expect a similar assault in 2021. An effective plan must account for soaring temperatures, wildfires, and outages initiated by utilities like SMUD and PG&E, with only a few days’ notice. This year the threat to Sacramento organizations packs extra punch. Not only are hot weather and wildfires on the horizon, the Covid-19 economic recovery could also amp up pressure on the power grid.     As corporations chart the terrain out of Covid-19, a dynamic shift seems to be taking place in the way business is conducted. Companies have come to realize that working remotely has advantages. The headline of a March 29 New York Times article about the city’s empty office buildings says it all: “Remote Work is Here to Stay.” There will be no rush to re-fill empty buildings, particularly in the po