BAKERSFIELD, Calif.(KBAK/KBFX) — As wildfire season approaches, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) says it is using new technology to try to stop outages and fires before they begin.
The utility recently opened a Continuous Monitoring Center designed to detect potential problems on the power grid early—before they can spark a wildfire or cause an outage.
PG&E spokesperson Jeff Smith described the system as a proactive approach to safety.
“Think of it like a smart watch for the electric system; this is constantly monitoring for signs of potential wildfire risk and spotting problems before they happen.”
The system combines wildfire cameras, sensors on power lines, and data from smart meters to monitor the grid around the clock—including in Kern County.
According to PG&E, the technology looks for signs that something may be wrong with equipment on the system. When something unusual is detected, crews can be sent out to address the issue before it becomes dangerous.
The monitoring center is based in San Ramon but tracks PG&E’s system across Central and Northern California.
PG&E says it measures success through what it calls a “good catch,” when a potential issue is identified and fixed before it causes damage. The company says those incidents are happening every day.
Smith says the technology is already showing results.
“Last year, we were very confident that this technology prevented 17 potential wildfires, including a couple here in the Central Valley.”
FILE – A firefighter battles the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
However, PG&E says there have not been any confirmed wildfire prevention cases in Kern County yet.
“There have been outages that have been prevented in Kern County that would have impacted thousands of customers.”
PG&E prepares for public safety power shutdown, beginning at 9 AM (KBAK/FOX58).
PG&E says the goal is not only to reduce wildfire risk, but also to minimize outages for customers as temperatures rise and fire danger increases.
“All of our customers are safer as a result of this technology, and specifically in Kern County, customers in the Bakersfield area will benefit because we will see a reduction not only in wildfires but also in outages.”
The company also says preventing wildfires early could help save money in the long run by avoiding costly damage and repairs.