PG&E assembles task force to analyze potential severe winter weather impacts

PG&E is preparing for the worst this winter as El Niño conditions could bring dangerous storms to Northern California. When powerful storms hit, Tyler Gayski and his team are among the first called to help get the lights back on. Gayski is PG&E's Superintendent of Electric Operations San Jose Division. He's been with PG&E for 14 years, overseeing electric operations across Milpitas, San Jose and Gilroy, an area serving 1.4 million customers, using specialized equipment to get the job done. "This is a Digger Derrick," explained Gayski. "This specialized piece of equipment allows us to make a power pole safe if it's damaged. It also gives us the opportunity to remove those power poles and set new power poles." Gayski said his team is ready for potentially dangerous storms strengthened by El Niño conditions this winter. As a Northern California native, he said helping his community makes the long hours worth it. "I take a lot of pride to be able to support our hometowns and be able to provide power back to those that are affected by the storm impacts," said Gayski. "So, I enjoy what I do, and it's long hours, and I have great people that I get to work with." PG&E Vice President of Emergency Preparedness and Response, Angie Gibson, said the utility is also taking steps behind the scenes to prepare for severe weather. The company has assembled a task force to analyze potential El Niño impacts, particularly flooding, landslides, and soil movement. PG&E has also installed cameras in reservoirs and watersheds to monitor conditions and help detect potential debris flows that could threaten downstream communities. In areas impacted by past wildfires, the company plans to proactively install rain gauges in burn scar areas to track precipitation. Across the region, 1,650 weather stations are monitoring conditions in different microclimates. "The early warning that we get from our meteorology team, giving us that 96-hour warning before we anticipate weather, allows us to identify those high-risk areas and proactively mobilize resources and material, anything we're going to need for the safe restoration of service in those high-impact forecast areas," said Gibson. As for Gayski, he said cooperation and mutual aid can save lives. "What I can tell you from my experience throughout my career, supporting emergency management in these larger storms and some mutual deployment, there's no better feeling than when you energize a neighborhood, a community that hasn't had power, and you know it's critical to their day-to-day life." Gayski said he's ready to do it all over again this winter, preparing his crews to respond whenever the next storm hits. Featured Local Savings