Bakersfield’s heat wave continues to strain PG&E power grid

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. ( KGET ) — There have been 22 triple digit days in July with a week to go during Bakersfield’s heat wave.

Three power outages three days in a row and maybe more to come.

“That possibility still exists,” said Jeff Smith with PG&E. “Especially, when you don’t have a cool down over several consecutive days.”

On Sunday, July 21 more than 17,000 homes and businesses had no power in Bakersfield and parts of Oildale. Outages on Monday and Tuesday affected over 10,000 customers. PG&E crew members were repairing power lines between Beale Avenue and Dolores Street on Wednesday.

Smith said transformers are burning out during the heat storm.

“We have transformers on both individual homes, but also on substations and things like that,” said Smith. “When those transformers don’t have an opportunity to cool down much at night, because it’s still so hot for using a lot of electricity, we do see the occasional equipment failure.”

Sunday’s outage zapped through downtown Bakersfield closing restaurants like Zama early, cutting performances at the Fox Theater, and creating a scare at the Busy Bee Retro & Candy Pop store on 19th Street.

“I did have one of our workers in here that night,” said Michelle Cooper. “So, the lights kind of shut off on her. She freaked out a little bit because she was in the basement. You can imagine that already.”

Cooper said a dark basement wasn’t the only scare. She said after the power went out, the alarm system shut off too.

“You never know around here,” said Cooper. “People break windows. People try to steal stuff. So, it’s very concerning especially with homeless people and all that stuff because you never know.”

Cooper said the 3-year-old candy shop that sells sweet nostalgia has struggled with broken windows and theft. Now, they’re dealing with a melted American dream from the power outage.

“Chocolate, obviously did have a little bit of a struggle,” said Cooper.

The heat wave stretches on, but Cooper said no matter how hot it gets the Busy Bee will continue to sell retro sodas, making us feel like kids again in summer.

“We’re trying to thrive as much as we can. It’s kind of hard being a small business, but we make it work,” said Cooper.

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