Pacific Gas & Electric warns of heat-related outages during heat wave

SAN LEANDRO, Calif. (KGO) -- Pacific Gas and & Electric is warning that the current hot spell may result in heat-related equipment failures and power outages. The East Bay has experienced three straight days of triple digit temperatures.

More than 3,000 PG&E customers lost power in Danville Wednesday in what may be a heat related failure.

RELATED: Extreme heat brings extreme misery to the East Bay

In San Leandro, nearly 1,700 customers were without electricity for about three hours on Friday in what may be equipment failure related to the heat wave. Shoppers at the local Costco found out about it the hard way when lights began to flicker and go out - first in the food court - then in the rest of the store.

ABC7 Mornings Traffic Producer Tammy Lee was inside when it happened. She told us: "The registers were down, and the people who had already paid, were quickly ushered out of the store...it was chaos inside."

RELATED: Thousands in Bay Area left without power in scorching heat

PG&E spokeswoman Tamar Sarkissian says the heat can damage key equipment.

"When we see extreme heat, equipment sometimes does not have the chance to cool down overnight because the temperatures just don't drop low enough," she said.