PG&E and First Responders Urge Customers and Contractors to Contact 811 At Least Two Business Days before Repairing and Rebuilding in Fire-Impacted Areas

December 5, 2017

SANTA ROSA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) has received hundreds of customer
requests for new electric and gas service in wildfire-impacted
communities, signaling the rebuilding process has begun in the aftermath
of the extraordinary October 2017 Northern California Wildfires. With
more than 300 service requests in Santa Rosa, PG&E and the Santa Rosa
Fire Department urge all customers to use 811. It’s a free underground
utility markings service to avoid damage to critical electric, gas,
water and telecommunications infrastructure.

“Safety is PG&E’s top priority as customers begin to recover from the
extraordinary wildfires. With local first responders, we urge every
customer who plans to dig or excavate to take every precaution and get
underground utility lines marked. The process of rebuilding can be
challenging and we want to make sure your interaction with 811 is one of
the fastest steps along the way. Whether you’re replacing a fence,
planting a tree or building a structure from the ground up, we need our
customers or their contractor to take five minutes to contact 811. The
free service saves lives and keeps communities safe,” PG&E President and
Chief Operating Officer Nick Stavropoulos said.

Here are the five key facts about 811 for customers starting
construction or in the process of making their plans to rebuild:

  • Customers, excavators and contractors should take a moment and click
    on 811express.com
    from a desktop, mobile phone or tablet or call 811 prior to digging.
  • Go online or call at least two business days before work is scheduled
    to begin.
  • Mark the area where digging will occur by using white chalk, paint,
    flags or even flour to outline the area so PG&E’s locate-and-mark
    specialists know where to look.
  • PG&E will prioritize all requests in wildfire-impacted areas and
    dispatch representatives to mark gas and electric lines as quickly as
    possible.
  • State
    law requires contractors and excavators in California to obtain a
    valid Underground Service Alert ticket through 811    . Customers
    performing work themselves also are urged to contact the free 811
    service before digging to ensure safety.

“As residents start to repair their homes and rebuild, we’re encouraging
homeowners or their contractors to call 811 as it’s an easy way to
ensure that any digging or excavation project is safe for their property
and the neighborhood. Along with PG&E, we are helping to get the word
out because an accidental strike on an underground line could
potentially become a public safety hazard,” said Paul Lowenthal,
Assistant Fire Marshal at the Santa Rosa Fire Department, who is leading
a city and county joint task force that oversees all fire debris removal
in Sonoma County.

About 811 – Free Underground Utility Marking Service

811 is a free nationwide service that dispatches local energy companies
to mark the presence of underground lines, including electric, gas,
water and telecommunications services. USA
North, which operates 811 in PG&E’s service area, created 811express.com
to reduce demand to the 811 helpline and provide a convenient,
round-the-clock way for the public to request utility markings before
excavation.

“Our deepest sympathies are with the residents whose properties were
damaged during the wildfires, and we want to make the process of
contacting 811 as seamless as possible. With 811express.com,
residents and contractors can request utility markings and a USA ticket
at any hour. We’ve also taken steps to ensure services are more
accessible to Spanish-language residents by hiring bilingual operators.
Our goal is to keep residents safe, and we want to remove any barriers
to you getting underground utilities marked for safe digging,” USA North
Executive Director James Wingate said.

Contractors are required by law to contact 811 at least two working days
prior to excavation. Failing to request a USA ticket could create a
possible safety hazard, result in costly fines, cause project delays and
put demands on first responders who may be required to secure the area.

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.

Contacts

PG&E Corporation
Media Relations, 415-973-5930