Is it true that homes near fire stations are exempt from rolling blackouts?
Yes, in most cases. Rolling blackouts are deliberate power cuts which are designed to reduce the load on the electricity generation system and grid. They usually result from a situation where demand outstrips supplyor during an electric power grid emergency. The California Public Utilities Commission dictates that all essential services buildings be designated as “Block 50.” Customers in the coveted Block 50 – a collection of neighborhoods immune from the shut-offs because they share a power circuit with a hospital or fire station – are kept running during electricity shortages.Your rotating outage block number can be found on the left-hand side of your Pacific Gas and Electric Company bill.
