PG&E tells Willows council it has expanded wildfire protections, highlights affordability programs
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Summary
PG&E briefed the Willows City Council on wildfire-risk tools—weather stations, HD cameras, SIPT crews, vegetation management, enhanced power-line safety settings and undergrounding priorities—and described customer assistance programs and advocacy for the California Wildfire Fund and undergrounding projects.
David Mung, PG&E's local government affairs representative, told the Willows City Council on March 24 that the utility has intensified wildfire-risk work in the region and is promoting long-term funding and undergrounding to reduce future public-safety shutoffs.
Mung said PG&E's "layers of protection" begin with situational awareness: "we've installed over 2,000 weather stations and high definition cameras" and monitor them to better predict wildfire conditions. He described SIPT (safety and infrastructure protection) crews staffed with former Cal Fire workers, expanded vegetation management and strengthened equipment and poles, and said the utility has covered or undergrounded lines on roughly 1,900 miles of overhead lines.
The presentation outlined operational protections as well. Mung described enhanced power line safety settings that detect hazards and can shut equipment off "in one tenth of a second," and he said those settings corresponded with an estimated 65% drop in ignitions last year. He also explained that public-safety power shutoffs (PSPS) remain a last-resort tool and that PG&E offers public PSPS data portals and a city-level advanced portal available by request.
On affordability, Mung said PG&E rates have fallen about 11% since 2024 and credited $3.3 billion in operations and capital savings. He highlighted customer programs: the CARE program (qualifying customers can save up to 20% on gas and electric), REACH and FARE programs, a match program that offers dollar-for-dollar assistance up to $1,000, budget billing, home energy financing and home energy checkups. He emphasized that rate changes are approved through the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC): "every penny that customers pay is reviewed and approved by the CPUC," he said.
Council members asked about vegetation easements and whether property owners can refuse tree removals near lines; Mung replied that "if it's designated as a fire hazard, unfortunately, they can't say no" and said PG&E tries to notify customers before work. Council members also pressed on Diablo Canyon and nuclear power; Mung said PG&E is pursuing federal license renewal for Diablo Canyon and noted the plant serves approximately 4 million Californians and supplies roughly 17% of the state's clean energy.
Why it matters: Willows is in a rural region where wildfire risk and public-safety shutoffs affect reliability and emergency response. Council members praised PG&E's camera system and situational awareness tools as helpful for local fire services, and asked PG&E to provide follow-up about vegetation jurisdictional responsibilities.
What comes next: PG&E left contact information with the city clerk for follow-up questions and the council did not take formal action on the presentation.
