VACAVILLE, Calif. — An overcrowded California men’s prison had been running on emergency generator power for three days after a big power outage during a heat wave. On Tuesday, the power was restored.
From what the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation says, the issue was fixed just after 2 p.m. at California State Prison, Solano. At the site in Vacaville, which is about 40 miles (65 kilometers) southwest of Sacramento, the power had been out since Sunday.
Monday through Thursday, it stayed hot in the city, with highs of 96 degrees (35.5 Celsius) on Sunday.
The prisons’ press office said in a statement Monday that running water, ice, and fans were made available “to help manage heat-related concerns.”
Officials said that medical workers also went around to check on the prisoners’ health.
“Our top priorities are the health and safety of everyone who lives and works in our institution and in our community,” the Monday statement said. Prison officials said that the power loss did not affect safety.
Pacific Gas & Electric said on Tuesday that the power outage wasn’t caused by their own equipment but by a problem with the prison’s. The problem wasn’t made clear by the corrections staff.
There are too many people in Solano State Prison, which is one of the largest prisons in California. On June, the facility held more than 3,900 men, which is 153% of what it was meant to hold, according to a report from the prisons department.
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