PG&E Resolves Highway 108 Outage in Tuolumne County

Key Takeaways

• More than 1,700 PG&E customers lost power along Highway 108 in Tuolumne County.
• The unplanned outage began just after 5 a.m. and stretched from before Cold Springs to past Strawberry.
• PG&E crews restored power to more than 1,700 customers by around 7 a.m.
• The utility did not report a cause for the outage.
• A separate unplanned outage in Tuolumne left 1,334 customers without power, but service was restored by 10:51 a.m.

Introduction

Electricity has been restored to more than 1,700 PG&E customers in Tuolumne County after an unplanned outage along Highway 108. The outage started just after 5 a.m. and affected an area from before Cold Springs to past Strawberry.

Outage Timeline and Scope

According to PG&E, 1,708 customers were without power in the early morning. The utility described the event as an unplanned outage and said crews were evaluating the electrical system to identify damaged sections.

At 7:02 a.m., PG&E reported that power had been restored to more than 1,700 customers. Company officials did not provide a cause for the outage.

In a separate incident later that morning, PG&E reported that 1,334 customers were without electricity in the Tuolumne area. The outage began at around 9 a.m. and was also described as unplanned, with crews evaluating the electrical system to identify damaged sections. The cause remained unclear, and PG&E initially hoped to have full restoration by 1:45 p.m. By 10:51 a.m., however, the utility reported that the impacted customers had been restored.

Local California Context

Highway 108 is a key mountain route in Tuolumne County, connecting communities such as Cold Springs and Strawberry to the rest of the region. Power losses on this corridor can affect homes, businesses, and travelers heading toward higher elevations.

Background

PG&E has faced repeated scrutiny over power reliability and wildfire-related shutoffs in Northern California. While this outage was brief and not tied to a public safety power shutoff, it highlights the vulnerability of rural mountain utility lines.

In a separate incident, PG&E faced scrutiny over a prolonged outage in Fresno, where a garbage truck tore down power equipment at an apartment complex, leaving tenants without electricity for nearly a month. Residents reported spoiled medication and significant out-of-pocket costs, including roughly $700 spent on hotels in the first week. PG&E spokesperson Paul Moreno said restoration was delayed by code requirements and that heat-related outages and the Gann Fire were straining resources. Power was eventually restored to four tenant units, though water service remained out because the property's well runs on electricity and needed further equipment modifications.

Conclusion

Service was restored within about two hours, limiting the impact on residents and commuters. PG&E has not announced what caused the disruption. Residents along Highway 108 should continue to report any remaining electrical issues directly to the utility.