UC Berkeley classes will be held Thursday barring a notice of power outage Wednesday night or Thursday morning, according to a campus-wide email released by Vice Chancellor for Administration Marc Fisher.
The campus Crisis Management Team — which includes Chancellor Carol Christ, Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost Paul Alivisatos and others — will continue to monitor the power outage situation and update the campus community based on the latest information from PG&E, Fisher said in the email.
Power was initially anticipated to be shut off in the core campus between 2-4 p.m., but a UCPD email said the time of the outage is uncertain, as information from PG&E has “not been clear.”
The power shutdown affecting Alameda County has been delayed until 8 p.m. Wednesday night, according to a county Nixle alert, which also said “strong winds are expected to begin about 10:00 p.m.” The alert also said the power restoration will begin Thursday about noon, although it is subject to change.
The electric company is shutting off power to prevent the chance of accidentally sparking a wildfire.
In the email, UCPD urged students to avoid “unnecessary trips” to campus during the outage, as many buildings will be dark. Libraries, as well as subterranean parking areas on campus, will be closed. The Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, or BAMPFA, and UCPD remain open, however.
The city of Berkeley has turned out its power for the entire day. UCPD spokesperson Sgt. Nicolas Hernandez urged students to carry flashlights, wear bright clothing and be aware of their surroundings, as city streetlights will not be working. Hernandez added that there will be extra security patrolling during the outage.
Campus officials are monitoring the situation and will announce midday today whether or not classes are canceled Thursday.
Check back for updates.