Cusimano started with some good news: PG&E informed city officials that the generators were set to be turned off by early Tuesday morning.
How did we get here?
Mill Valley has faced significant challenges due to PG&E’s mismanagement in recent years and the City shares the community’s frustration with their performance.
As you know, the City has a long history of adapting quickly to PG&E’s infrastructure projects in Mill Valley. These projects have caused disruptions in key areas, such as the electric vault repair in front of Equator Coffee in 2023, the gas line work on Miller/Ethel in 2024, and the numerous mismanaged traffic control projects that continue to occur in our hill side neighborhoods. Many residents still recall the upheaval caused by PG&E’s fire prevention measures, including the 2019 Public Safety Power Shutoff and the 2022 proposal for large-scale tree removal in Cascade Canyon.
In October, PG&E approached the City with an urgent need to address their most recent issue: the replacement of a corroded transmission line at risk of failure at the Alto Substation in Mill Valley and the reconstruction of a transmission tower near the Canal community in San Rafael. They explained that these upgrades were critical to maintaining uninterrupted power for Mill Valley, the Tamalpais Community Services District, Tiburon, Belvedere, and Sausalito. To achieve this, they needed to use temporary generators to ensure a stable electricity supply while upgrading the transmission lines powering the Alto Substation.
The City sought answers from PG&E to better understand the situation and advocate for our community. When we asked why the work needed to take place at the Alto Substation, PG&E explained that it is the only facility with the necessary infrastructure to support the tower replacement project.
When we investigated our ability to restrict the activity, we were informed that under the authority of the California Public Utilities Commission, PG&E is exempt from local zoning requirements and noise regulations, significantly limiting the City’s ability to block the work. While the City retains limited authority to issue an encroachment permit, PG&E emphasized that the project was critical to maintaining reliable power for the area.
Power or No Power?
Ultimately, PG&E presented us with two options: maintain 24/7 generator power during the 11-day upgrade or face major power outages for Mill Valley, the Tamalpais Community Services District, Tiburon, Belvedere, and Sausalito.
The City prioritized the needs of its residents by opting to maintain power, recognizing that a prolonged outage would cause significant disruption to daily life. In making this decision, the City strongly advocated for PG&E to conduct extensive community outreach and implement measures to mitigate the project’s impacts.
In response to the City’s requests, PG&E took several steps to minimize disruptions. They used sound meters to monitor noise levels, installed sound blankets to reduce noise, and offered hotel accommodations to residents most affected. PG&E also engaged in direct community outreach, notifying residents about road flaggers for generator deliveries and sending emails about anticipated generator noise from November 14 to 25. Additionally, PG&E’s customer outreach representative personally contacted impacted residents, provided his direct cell phone number, and worked to address concerns. The City remained committed to advocating for the well-being of its community throughout this challenging process.
Next Steps
Despite PG&E’s efforts to mitigate the impacts of the project, the measures taken were not enough to fully address the concerns of our community. The City recognizes the need for long-term solutions and is committed to advocating for improvements to PG&E’s infrastructure.
Currently, the Alto Substation relies on two transmission feeds that lack sufficient capacity to power Mill Valley and Southern Marin during repairs, necessitating the use of backup generators. This design creates ongoing challenges for the community during critical upgrades. In response, PG&E has indicated that they are actively evaluating ways to increase capacity at the Alto Substation, which would eliminate the need for emergency backup generators in similar situations in the future. The City will continue to push for these improvements to better serve our residents and prevent recurring disruptions.
The City deeply understands the frustration and challenges this project has caused for our community, and we sincerely appreciate your patience and resilience throughout this difficult process.
We remain steadfast in our commitment to advocating for our residents by working closely with PG&E to minimize disruptions and ensure transparent communication at every stage. The City will continue to advocate, with our community leaders, that PG&E prioritize long-term system improvements that increase capacity at the Alto Substation, ultimately eliminating the need for emergency generators in the future.
Your cooperation and understanding have been invaluable during this time, and we will continue to stand with you, advocating for the solutions our community deserves.