In recognition of Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) outstanding
power restoration efforts during California’s devastating Valley Fire,
the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) presented the company with its
Emergency Recovery Award.
The award is presented twice a year to EEI member companies recognizing
their extraordinary efforts to restore power to customers after service
disruptions caused by severe weather conditions or other natural events.
The Valley Fire in Lake County, located north of San Francisco, took
place during the 2015 California wildfire season and encompassed more
than 76,000 acres. During the fire, nearly 1,700 PG&E employees and
contractors worked closely with the California Governor's Office of
Emergency Services, County of Lake Office of Emergency Services, CAL
FIRE, the U.S. Forest Service and other first responders to restore
power and support the community. Integrated emergency response teams
worked across challenging terrain to assess damage, remove hazardous
trees, and rebuild equipment to help expedite the safe return of
residents to their homes. PG&E also provided exportable power to
evacuation centers and essential businesses and worked with law
enforcement to ensure customer safety while evacuation orders were still
in effect.
“The Valley Fire was the third-worst fire in California history, and our
employees saw firsthand the devastating impact it had on our customers.
Restoring electric service was one of the first steps to recovery, and
thousands of PG&E employees played a part in our response. This award is
a tribute to the cross-agency team of first responders and our employees
who worked tirelessly in extreme conditions to get the community back on
its feet,” said Geisha Williams, president, PG&E Electric.
“The success of any emergency response effort is only as strong as the
players who execute it, and we couldn’t be more grateful for our
partnerships with top-notch first responders who are committed to public
safety. The support and resources that PG&E provided during the Valley
Fire were critical to fighting the fire and restoring the community,”
said Rob Brown, supervisor, County of Lake.
“The hardworking crews from PG&E are truly deserving of this recognition
for their tremendous efforts to restore service and support their
community in the face of difficult conditions during the Valley Fire.
PG&E’s efforts to swiftly and safely restore service are representative
of our industry’s unwavering commitment to customer service,” said Tom
Kuhn, president, EEI.
The Emergency Recovery Award winners were chosen by a panel of judges
following a nomination process, and the awards were presented during
EEI’s January CEO and Board of Directors meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz.
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.
About EEI
EEI is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric
companies. Our members provide electricity for 220 million Americans,
operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and directly
employ more than 500,000 workers. EEI has 70 international electric
companies as Affiliate Members, and 270 industry suppliers and related
organizations as Associate Members.
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