SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY – A San Bernardino County Supervisor wrote an open letter to Southern California Edison (SCE) expressing concerns over recent Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS).
Supervisor Dawn Rowe said residents in the mountain communities, who rely on electricity to stay warm during the cold winter months, have been left without electricity sometimes for more than a week.
According to SCE, PSPS is one tool it uses to prevent wildfires.
During a PSPS, SCE temporarily shuts off power to neighborhoods during dangerous weather conditions to prevent its electrical system from becoming a potential source of ignition.
Rowe said that while they understand the threat of high winds, which can put significant strain on energy infrastructure and increase fire danger, it’s clear that there are many issues with how SCE has managed this wind event.
Little communication by SCE to its customers
Rowe said many residents who live well outside the fire-prone areas are experiencing lengthy outages.
On January 7, the day of the wildfires in Los Angeles, SCE shut off power to 16,974 households in Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange and Ventura counties. Another 43,079 households were under consideration for a power shutoff including residents in Kern and Santa Barbara counties.
There is also a concern about SCE’s notifications to customers about the PSPS.
“In many instances, there has been little communication by SCE to its customers about when power will be restored. The lack of useful information by SCE has been alarming,” said Rowe.
Rowe recommended that SCE have greater flexibility built into their circuits to minimize the number of customers who are impacted.
Premature push for full electrification in California
California has implemented a series of regulations to transition away from fossil fuels and promote renewable energy.
This includes the Advanced Clean Cars II rule, which mandates 100% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035.
Rowe said the state’s premature push for full electrification will only worsen the challenges faced by communities.
“The state needs to realize the impact of its policies on our communities and take action to ensure that what happened during this wind event does not become a new standard in our county,” said Rowe.
SCE customers can file complaints and concerns with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) here: https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/consumer-support/file-a-complaint/utility-complaint.
 expressing concerns over recent Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). ){kind=link}