LAMORINDA WEEKLY | PG&E attempts to reduce wildfire risk in El Toyonal area by hardening equipment


Phase 1: complete by end of 2019. Phase 2 & 5: January through end of March 2020. Orinda 401: tentatively March to June 2020. Image provided

Pacific Gas and Electric Company officials, including project manager Tony Chan, came to the Dec. 17 Orinda City Council meeting to explain how a project intended to harden equipment to reduce the risk of wildfire will impact Orinda residents. The company has sent out over 440 letters to residents who will be impacted by the closure of El Toyonal at various dates in the future. Residents will receive further notification in advance of each phase of the project.

PG&E planned to complete phase one by end of 2019 and phases two and five from January through the end of March. Another project, entitled Orinda 401, is tentatively scheduled for March to June. The work will include reconductoring 2.45 miles of overhead bare wire to overhead tree wire and replacing 114 poles and 69 overhead transformers. The project has been expedited to coordinate with the work in the same area by the East Bay Municipal Utility District.

According to PG&E, El Toyonal will be closed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the weekend of Martin Luther King Day, from Jan. 18 trough Jan. 20, and possibly carrying over to Jan. 21 if necessary.

The road may be closed again from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the long weekend of Feb. 14 through Feb. 17, which encompasses both Presidents Day and Valentine's Day.