Main campus power updates as of Wednesday morning

Due to yesterday’s fire in the Emerald Hills area, the main Stanford campus lost the power supplied by PG&E’s main transmission line to the campus. PG&E is providing a limited supply of power through a secondary line, but it falls far short of the normal needs of the campus. This limited supply is being used to maintain cooling for the hospital and other critical infrastructure on campus. In addition, some student residences and other buildings are operating on backup generator power. Work continues to shift the limited power supply on the main campus to the highest-priority needs.

PG&E indicates that it has identified the problem and is working on repairs, but there remains no estimated time of restoration.

Impact to campus also includes (not a complete list):

  • Cancellation of summer session classes, conferences and day camps for Wednesday, June 22.
  • Bing Nursery School, Madera Grove, CCSC and Stock Farm Road childcare facilities are closed.
  • Cellular service is impacted in some areas of campus.
  • Impact to information systems are available from University IT at https://uit.stanford.edu/service-alerts/several-services-impacted-data-center-power-outage
  • The AOERC (including the Avery Rec Pool) and ACSR are closed, all main campus recreational classes are cancelled. The Redwood City Recreation and Wellness Center remains open.
  • Chilled water production is occurring, but the ability to supply it to individual buildings remains very limited due to lack of available power. Researchers should wait until further notice to perform any non-critical activities.
  • Green and branch libraries on the main campus are closed.

At this time, all underground garages are open. Use caution in areas where lighting is low.

For students living on campus, we will continue to provide meals and respite spaces today where students can access air conditioning and charge electronics.

  •  Arrillaga Family Dining Commons – area of respite (24 hours per day) and dining
    • Complimentary snacks and beverages 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
    • Power strips for charging and wifi available
    • Serving meals for students only
      • Breakfast 7:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
      • Lunch 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
      • Dinner 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
  • EVGR Pavilion and EVGR Pub – area of respite (8 a.m. – 1 a.m.)
    • Complimentary snacks and beverages 9 p.m. – 1 a.m.
    • Power strips for charging and wifi available

Temperatures in the Stanford area are forecast to reach 90 plus degrees this afternoon. Tips for managing the heat include:

  • Drink plenty of water: Drink water even if you don’t feel thirsty. Avoid alcohol, caffeine or lots of sugar because they will speed up fluid loss.
  • Limit physical activity: Avoid physical activity during the hottest time of the day.
  • Stay in air-conditioned areas, whenever possible. Use the areas of respite available on campus.
  • Wear cool clothing: Lightweight, light-colored and loose-fitting clothing can help you keep cool. Cotton clothes are good because they let sweat evaporate.
  • When outdoors, wear sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. Rest often in shady areas.

Hospital operations and the health and safety of those residing on campus remains our top priority. We continue to encourage staff who can work from home to remain off the main campus. This allows campus staff to conserve power for students living on campus, essential services, and critical infrastructure.