Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) crews will be replacing
high-voltage electric transmission wires across Highway 101 in
Burlingame tonight after a third party doing construction work severely
damaged a tower and related electrical equipment on Friday night. PG&E
is partnering with the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and Caltrans to
allow the work to be conducted safely, without any risk to employees or
the public.
Caltrans and the CHP will close the freeway in both directions tonight
from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Southbound lanes will be closed at Millbrae
Avenue and northbound lanes will be closed at Anza Boulevard to allow
PG&E to restring power lines from one transmission tower to temporary
poles that were erected Saturday to replace the severely damaged tower.
PG&E, Caltrans and the CHP appreciate the patience and cooperation of
the public, and will work to reopen the freeway as quickly as is safely
possible. This repair work is being done during the late evening and
early morning to mitigate impact to Bay Area drivers. Caltrans and the
CHP recommend delaying any unnecessary driving if possible during this
time or using alternate routes through the area, such as Interstate 280
and El Camino Real.
“Our partner agencies have done a tremendous job to help make the
situation safe for the public and assist in this major repair and
restoration effort. We appreciate the patience of the public, the hard
work of our employees to safely and quickly address the situation, and
the combined partnership of CHP, Caltrans, Burlingame Fire Department
and Burlingame Police Department throughout this ongoing and significant
event,” said Jason Regan, director of Emergency Management at PG&E.
“In times of an emergency, we automatically look to allied agencies such
as local law enforcement and fire departments to assist us in fulfilling
our mission of making sure everyone gets home safely at the end of the
day. We have a great working relationship with PG&E and Caltrans. We are
glad to have the opportunity to work with them and observe their crews
working tirelessly day and night during this emergency,” said Officer
Arturo Montiel, Public Information Officer for CHP.
“Safety is our shared commitment. Our partners at PG&E, CHP, and local
first responders were on the scene immediately securing the safety of
motorists and the workers during this project,” said Caltrans District
Director Bijan Sartipi.
Background
A non-PG&E third-party contractor, Jafec USA, severely damaged a major
transmission tower that carries power to the Peninsula and San Francisco
on Friday night, bringing high-voltage power lines down onto the
freeway, city streets and a pedestrian walkway. PG&E and first
responders, including the CHP and local police and fire agencies, worked
to make the area safe as quickly as possible, resulting in no injuries.
A crane operated by the contractor buckled the tower, and the resulting
strain on the transmission wires caused damage to the two other
connected transmission towers. Caltrans provided three 80-foot wooden
poles to allow PG&E to quickly construct a temporary replacement for the
most seriously damaged tower.
PG&E had electric first responders on site within 10 minutes of the
accident, and additional resources and crews from across Northern
California were dispatched to the scene. Specialized equipment,
personnel and vehicles are integral for a repair job of this magnitude
on a primary artery of the electric system.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E
Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas
and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco,
with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the
nation’s cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in Northern and
Central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/
and www.pge.com/en/about/newsroom/index.page.
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https://twitter.com/pge4me
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http://www.youtube.com/user/pgevideo
About California Highway Patrol (CHP)
The objective of the California Highway Patrol for this incident is to
facilitate for a safe work environment for workers and the motoring
public.
About the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
Caltrans maintains 50,000 lane-miles of state highways and roadways.
Caltrans mission is to provide a safe, sustainable, integrated
transportation system to enhance California’s economy and livability.
Follow us on twitter: @caltranshq
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