SOMERSET, EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. Editor-in-Chief (November 4, 2023) – A wave of power outages descended upon El Dorado County, casting thousands into darkness on a Friday evening. The unforeseen outage not only plunged homes into obscurity but also forced the unfortunate cancellation of a highly anticipated middle school dance, leaving disappointed students and parents in its wake.
The turmoil began when Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) reported multiple power outages, affecting more than 1,100 customers across Placerville and Shingle Springs shortly after 3:30 p.m. As if that weren’t enough, a second outage hit the region after 4:15 p.m., enveloping more than 2,700 additional customers in darkness across the communities of Somerset, Mount Aukum, and part of Placerville. It was a grim evening for residents who found themselves navigating through the shadows.
PG&E swiftly dispatched crews to the scenes of both outages, their mission: to restore the much-needed illumination to homes and businesses. However, the cause of these sudden blackouts remained shrouded in uncertainty, leaving both residents and utility officials in the dark, so to speak.
Among those plunged into the unforeseen darkness were the students of the Pioneer Union School District. The power outage’s impact on the county and its communities was so severe that the district had no choice but to cancel the eagerly awaited middle school dance scheduled for that fateful Friday evening.
In a heartfelt message shared via their official Facebook page, the district expressed their regret and disappointment, stating,
“Due to this untimely power outage that is affecting a large area and multiple power outages within the county, we are making the sad decision to cancel the middle school dance this evening. We are so sorry, we were looking forward to hosting this event.”
It was a somber moment for the students who had been eagerly anticipating the dance, the culmination of weeks of excitement and preparation. This cancellation served as a poignant reminder of the disruptive power of nature and unforeseen events.
As families across El Dorado County awaited the return of electricity, there was a glimmer of hope. According to PG&E’s website, power was gradually restored to nearly all customers by 7:15 p.m. The flicker of lights and the hum of appliances marked the end of a challenging evening, bringing relief to those who had been plunged into darkness.
