[UPDATE: The power plant was reactivated by 6 p.m. Wednesday night.]

A fire broke out around 2:10 this afternoon at Pacific Gas and Electric's Humboldt Bay Generating Station. It was quickly extinguished, and the cause remains under investigation, according to a release from PG&E.

At the request of the fire department, all power-generating units at the station were shut down. Consequently, power will be at a premium tonight on the North Coast, so the utility company is asking customers to ease back on their energy consumption: Save the vacuuming and clothes drying 'til tomorrow if you can. Turn off unnecessary lights and appliances. You know the drill.