Residents near a Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) hub in Mill Valley are raising concerns over an emergency repair project at the Alto Substation. Since November 15, the utility has been using full-time generators to keep power flowing to the area, resulting in noise and air quality issues.
“Everyone’s pretty upset,” said local resident Jeralyn Seiling. “I’ve been affected. I’ve got all these air purifiers running right now.”
In October, PG&E informed the city that a corroded transmission line at the substation needed replacement to avoid potential failure. This issue also impacts a nearby tower replacement project, according to City Manager Todd Cusimano. PG&E noted that the Alto Substation is the only facility with the infrastructure to support the tower project.
PG&E’s communication to residents warned of contractor trucks and equipment, temporary power interruptions when turning the generators on and off, and “some noise.”
“They didn’t warn us that it was going to be really loud or mention the impact on air quality,” Seiling said. “We had no idea how bad it would get. No one told us anything.”
PG&E spokesperson Megan McFarland stated the generators were scheduled to run from November 15 to November 25. The company plans to turn off the generators overnight between November 25 and 26.
McFarland also said PG&E has conducted “extensive outreach” to reduce neighborhood impact, including installing sound meters and using sound blankets to mitigate noise. “We understand that customers were frustrated by the generator operations and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience,” she said.
The utility is evaluating options to improve the system, including increasing power capacity at the substation to avoid relying on backup generators during future projects.
Mayor Urban Carmel noted the city has received numerous complaints from frustrated residents but said the city does not have authority over PG&E, as state law exempts the company from local regulations like noise ordinances.
Carmel explained that repairs had been made at the substation in the past, but this project has lasted longer than expected. The generators are necessary to maintain electricity while upgrading the transmission lines that serve the substation, which provides power to Mill Valley, Tiburon, Belvedere, Sausalito, and the Tamalpais Community Services District.
“The alternative is no power,” Carmel said. “We hate this as much as everyone else does. We are all very sympathetic and wish PG&E would manage the substation better.”
Seiling, who lives on Longfellow Road, believes the generators are the cheaper option for PG&E. She said the constant noise has caused sleepless nights, and the emissions have irritated her throat.
“It’s hard to believe that there’s no option other than taking the substation off the grid and using diesel,” Seiling said. “A company this large should have other options than relying on smelly diesel to keep the city running.”
Seiling installed an air quality monitor in her home. On a normal day, it registers one to two parts per million (ppm), a unit used to measure pollutant concentrations. However, with the generators running, the monitor has recorded 80 ppm despite the use of air purifiers.
“Even with all the air purifiers running, it’s been registering 80 parts per million,” Seiling said.
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