Thousands without electricity across SLO County due to PG&E power shutoff

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (KEYT) - Thousands of homes and businesses across San Luis Obispo County are without electricity Friday as PG&E continues an ongoing Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) due to extreme fire weather conditions.

The shutoff was initiated because of a combination of soaring temperatures, high winds, low humidity and dry vegetation, creating an elevated risk of wildfires across the Central Coast.

According to the San Luis Obispo County Office of Emergency Services (OES), approximately 8,700 customers were without power as of 10 a.m. Friday.

The outages affect homes, businesses, schools, churches and other facilities within designated PSPS zones.

Areas experiencing outages include portions of San Luis Obispo, Nipomo, Morro Bay and Santa Margarita, along with several rural communities.

County emergency officials said PG&E will begin restoring power once weather conditions are considered safe and the risk of fire has diminished.

However, with dangerous fire weather conditions expected to persist into the weekend, some customers may remain without electricity until Saturday evening.

Residents are encouraged to stay informed about outage updates and follow guidance from local emergency officials as conditions continue to develop.