PLACERVILLE, Calif. — In October of 2019, Placerville and surrounding towns in El Dorado County went weeks without power. Now, residents and businesses could face PG&E's Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) again because of fire danger.
On Sunday morning, Placerville business owner Ben Carter and more than 100,000 other PG&E customers received an all too familiar notification.
"The text I got this morning was for potential power outage shutoff," Carter said. "To add this to the complexity of running a business is very difficult."
PG&E spokeperson Katie Allen outlined that the alerts sent to customers were in the 'outage watch' category.
"When it comes to a potential public safety power shutoff, we have not initiated a PSPS," Allen said. "This is just a time when PG&E is notifying customers 48 hours ahead of a potential event."
Allen went on to explain that PG&E was considering a power shutoff on Monday evening until Wednesday in 18 counties due to a dynamic weather system.
"Windy conditions combined with other factors are having us take a look at specific areas," Allen said.
Last October, PG&E shut off power to thousands of customers due to unsafe weather conditions.
When alerted today, Carter, who co-owns Brass and Oak Furniture store and Hey Day Cafe, said he felt a bit more prepared.
"We already have invested money in power generators and some other systems that we've put into place," Carter said. "When something happens the first time— you’re scrambling trying to figure out how it's all going to work."
While he waits for more alerts to see whether or not PG&E will initiate shutoffs, Carter says he’s grateful for his supportive customers and his community that have gotten him through before.
"It's pretty nice to see places still thriving through this, you know?" Carter said. "Fires and COVID and whatever else-- just add it to the mix, we’ll be alright."
WATCH ALSO: