Staff Report The Benicia Fire Department was recently awarded a $15,000 grant to expand the use of goats grazing in high risk, overgrown vegetation areas, according to a news release by the city. The grant was the result of a partnership between the California Fire Foundation and Pacific Gas & Electric, which have […]
Letter: Poor CPUC decision
Poor CPUC decision I’m a resident of Benicia who lives just up the hill from the Valero refinery on Lindo Street, and the fact that the CPUC’s decision NOT to penalize PG&E for its “inadequate training of operations personnel and slow response” is ludicrous. In fact, the CPUC should be penalized for making such a […]
CPUC will not punish PG&E for 2017 power outage at Valero
Despite conclusions by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) that a failed Pacific Gas & Electric component was responsible for the power outage and flareup at the Valero Benicia Refinery last year, the regulatory agency will not penalize the electric company if it moves forward with corrective actions. In May 2017, a power outage occurred […]
CPUC: 2017 Valero outage result of PG&E mistakes regarding electric component
A report by the California Public Utilities Commission said the power outage at the Valero Benicia Refinery which led to a flareup and shutdown of the Industrial Park in 2017 was the result of a failed voltage transformer at Pacific Gas & Electric’s (PG&E) Bahia Substation and not providing adequate training or documents related to […]
Failed fuses cause Benicia power outage
Two blown fuses were the cause of the power outage in Benicia Saturday. At 2:21 p.m. a fuse near Southampton Road and Hastings Drive failed. This caused approximately 5,027 Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) customers to lose power. The Benicia Police Department became aware of the power outage and alerted citizens through social media at […]
Plenty of power available during tomorrow’s eclipse
By Donna Beth Weilenman Martinez News-Gazette Special to the Herald The solar eclipse begins locally at 9:01 a.m. Monday, and while California is south of the path of totality, prepared Benicia residents with the proper equipment can watch as the sun is masked to a sliver by the moon. The maximum eclipse, when the moon […]
Valero files $75 million suit against PG&E
Valero Refining Company filed a lawsuit Friday against Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) for the 18-minute shutdown of their Benicia refinery. The Valero Refining Company accuses PG&E of shutting off the electricity to the refinery, which resulted in a refinery shutdown on May 5. When the power came back on, flaring at the refinery […]
A Different Drummer: I sing the house electric
We have been receiving monthly letters from PG&E that say, “Shame on you.” Apparently, we are using more electricity than average homes. This year we are doing something about that. We have already put on a new metal roof, had all our attic vents replaced, new insulation blown in, and a Next thermostat installed. In […]
Letters: Emergency plans are important
Emergency plans are important With more wet weather on its way, Pacific Gas & Electric reminds all customers in Benicia to have a plan if an emergency strikes. This includes an emergency kit, a way to communicate with family members and other proactive steps to be prepared. Just as PG&E has a plan for potential […]
Will city join area CCA?
■ Council mulls $18K to learn feasibility of joining Community Choice Aggregation Benicia City Council may decide Tuesday to take the first step toward membership in the Marin Clean Energy community choice aggregation. Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) is an alternative to Pacific Gas and Electric for electricity supply. Local organizations may form such organizations to acquire […]