PG&E Advises Plant Right Tree in Right Place.

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 17, 1999--Many electric power outages can be eliminated if the proper tree is planted in the right place, Pacific Gas and Electric Company advises customers.

Trees create outages when they fall across power lines, their branches are blown into electric lines or when their leaves and bark become lodged in lines. The outage occurs when a fault current, or short circuit created by the tree contact, blows a fuse similar to that found in your home or snaps a line.

Pacific Gas and Electric manages approximately 5 million trees near electric distribution power lines within its 70,000 square mile service territory, covering mountain and valley terrain as well as multiple species of trees. The company's request for funds to implement and manage its vegetation programs is contained in its 1999 General Rate Case, which it filed with the California Public Utilities Commission in December 1997.

"During windy weather, either during seasonal storms or during spring and fall wind gusts, trees can be a potential cause of outages," said Kevin Dasso, manager of PG&E's Vegetation Program. "Many of these outages are the result of trees or limbs falling into lines from outside the utility right-of-way, or from trees which never should have been planted in the right-of-way." Before restoring power, PG&E must patrol the electric lines to determine the source of the outage.

Homeowners can assist PG&E and reduce tree related outages by:

-- Planting the right tree in the right place. Landscaping near power lines should be done in consultation with a local nursery to select trees that obtain mature heights no taller than 25 feet and do not produce material easily carried by the wind. Taller trees should be planted so that they are at least 15 feet away from overhead lines at maturity. This means large trees need to be planted quite a distance from lines to be sure they do not create power line problems throughout their entire life. Site specific information, listing suitable trees for various planting scenarios may be obtained from the web site, http://selectree.cagr.calpoly.edu.

-- Allowing access to PG&E crews to inspect and trim trees. Remember, a tree's size, health and stability change over time.

-- Checking trees for decay, visible cracks and dead or partially attached limbs.

-- Having unhealthy and dead material removed from trees by qualified personnel.

-- Only certified line clearance personnel are allowed to work within 10 feet of energized power lines. Do not prune or work in a tree near power lines yourself.

Pacific Gas and Electric crews will be working to provide safe, responsive and reliable service throughout the year by trimming over 2 million trees near powerlines. Please assist their efforts by remembering these safety tips.

For more information about PG&E, please visit the company's web site, http://www.pge.com/media