Contributors
Photo Credit: Colton Walter
This year, Public Safety Power Shutoffs could happen more frequently, last longer and impact more customers — some who may never have experienced PSPS before.
In response to increasing fire risk, Southern California Edison continues to advance its wildfire safety efforts, including increasing the use of PSPS.
When it’s hot, dry and windy, fires can move quickly. In those conditions, SCE may need to temporarily turn off electricity in high risk areas. While being without power can create significant hardships, this precaution is necessary to help keep communities safe.
What’s Changing?
- Improved Fire Potential Formula: SCE’s new risk formula better predicts when weather conditions could increase the risk of electric equipment causing a significant fire.
- Wind Speed Triggers for Shutoffs: Wind speed levels have been refined, helping determine when to turn off power using updated circuit and environmental risk factors.
- High Risk Circuits in High Winds: When high risk power lines are forecast to experience unusually high wind speeds, we may turn off power earlier, before those speeds reach their thresholds.
- Sign Up for Alerts: Sign up in English and other languages at sce.com/pspsalerts.
- Get Extra Help: Customers with access and functional needs can find resources through 211 at sce.com/afn.
- Backup Power Solutions: Portable power stations and portable generators help keep you powered during outages. Check if you qualify for rebates and incentives at marketplace.sce.com.
- Critical Care Backup Battery: This program offers free portable backup batteries that can power your medical devices during an outage or emergency home evacuation.
- Community Resource Centers: During a PSPS event, SCE provides customers with on-site information, water, light snacks, resiliency kits, mobile device charging and portable medical equipment charging.
- Make an Emergency Plan: Communicate and practice it, including the location of emergency supplies, medications and important contacts. Visit sce.com/beprepared.
- Prepare Emergency Supplies: Essential items include water bottles, flashlights, a battery-operated radio, working batteries, a first-aid kit, extra blankets and items for pets.
- Outage Safety: Never touch or approach a downed power line — stay at least 100 feet away and in a safe location. Warn others, then immediately call 911. For more outage safety tips, visit sce.com/outagesafety.
- Community Safety Meetings: Hear from experts, ask questions and learn how to stay safe. Upcoming Community Safety Meetings:
- Santa Barbara County: Thursday, Aug. 27, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
- San Bernardino County: Wednesday, Sept. 16, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
For more information, visit sce.com/psps.
The state requires educational public communications for PSPS, which are funded by ratepayers.
