Last month all the mountain communities experienced what Southern California Edison (SCE) calls PSPS (Public Safety Power Shutoffs).
Funmi Williamson, SCE’s senior vice president and chief customer officer, issued a statement and the answers to some common questions about the practice.
“We recognize the extreme hardship and frustration you experienced while your power was shut off several times during the past few weeks,” Williamson wrote. “Your safety is our top priority and the decision to shut off your power was not made lightly. PSPS is a measure of last resort that we use to keep our customers and communities safe.
“To address some of the concerns you may have, we have gathered a list of commonly asked questions from our customers.”
Commonly asked questions
Why is my power out due to a PSPS while my neighbor’s house isn’t? Why is my power out due to a PSPS if I don’t live in a high fire risk area or see any wind outside?
Although some customers might not live in a high fire risk area or see wind nearby, they may still be on a circuit that is “downstream” from these conditions in a nearby community. This can lead to de-energization of that circuit, a necessary stop, to maintain public safety. We are working to segment circuits further so fewer customers will be impacted by future PSPS events. These steps will help lessen the need for and impact of PSPS over time.
The winds have subsided so why is it taking so long for my power to be turned back on?
This short video (www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-EjMcFCcIE) explains the process SCE uses to restore power after a PSPS outage. A key step is the inspection of all equipment along the circuit that serves your home for potential damage and hazards, prior to turning power back on.
What steps has SCE undertaken to reduce wildfire risk and use of PSPS?
As of September 2024, we have replaced more than 6,100 circuit miles of bare conductor with wire that has a protective coating, helping us reduce the need for PSPS outages.
We have installed over 1,700 weather stations and roughly 200 high-definition cameras to improve our weather forecasting capabilities and conduct fire-threat modeling using supercomputers and machine learning technology. We use these tools to reduce the number of impacted customers when it comes to decision regarding shutting off circuits threatened by dangerous fire weather.
In the coming years, we are planning to move distribution lines underground in several high fire risk areas. To help rebuild the recently devastated communities, we are speeding up our plans in those neighborhoods while federal and state emergency declarations are in effect. This allows us to reduce the lengthy permit process and minimize the disruption caused by construction work.
We are committed to helping you stay informed and prepared for outage emergencies, including PSPS. Here are some additional resources, tips and reminders:
- To help plan for potential PSPS outages and view a seven-day forecast, visit our PSPS weather awareness page: www.sce.com/wildfire/weather-awareness?et_cid=20250207_BTB_DeEnergized.
- Assess your level of readiness and take action where needed by using our outage emergency preparedness checklist: www.sce.com/factsheet/HFRA-checklist?et_cid=20250207_BTB_DeEnergized.
- Visit our customer resources and support page – www.sce.com/outage-center/customer-resources-and-support?et_cid=20250207_BTB_DeEnergized – to find programs and rebates to. Help you prepare for outage emergencies, including PSPS.
“Our thoughts are with everyone who was impacted by the extreme weather and wildfires,” Williamson wrote. “Thank you for your continued resilience during these challenging times and for taking steps to prepare for outage emergencies. Please be safe.”
0 Comments