Public Safety Power Shutoff
What is a Public Safety Power Shutoff?>
The threat of wildfires in California is real and growing. With one-quarter of SCE’s service area in high-risk fire areas, keeping our communities safe by preventing wildfires is a top priority.
One critical tool we use to prevent wildfires is the Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS), in which we may temporarily shut off power to your neighborhood during dangerous weather conditions to prevent our electric system from becoming a source of ignition. These safety shutoffs are a measure of last resort for keeping you and your community safe.
Visit our Outage Map to see if power in your neighborhood is shut off due to a PSPS or is under consideration for one.
A Tool of Last Resort
We base PSPS decisions on data gathered from fire scientists and meteorologists forecasting dangerous wildfire conditions, and on real-time information from our crews in the field. We understand that a PSPS event can create hardships for affected customers, and the decision to shut off power is never taken lightly.
Experiencing a Public Safety Power Shutoff? Check the status and details of your outage on our Outage Map.
Current PSPS Status
Power shutoffs currently in effect or under consideration due to heightened wildfire risk:
Current Public Safety Power Shutoffs
Of SCE’s 5 million customers: | 0 |
No counties/customers currently experiencing shutoffs.
Power Safety Shutoffs Being Considered
Of SCE’s 5 million customers: | 0 |
No counties/customers currently under consideration for power shutoffs.
Notes:
- Field and weather conditions change regularly and there may be a delay in posting updates. Please check back for updates on recently affected areas.
- Customer counts are based on county circuits. If a circuit expands beyond one county, customers will be counted in each county, resulting in a potential overcount.
Preparing for a PSPS Event
A PSPS event will last as long as the dangerous fire weather conditions persist. When weather improves, we will inspect our lines for damage before restoring power. This typically takes up to eight hours but could take longer if we need daylight for safe inspections. The most recent information on estimated restoration ranges may always be found on the Outage Map.
What To Do?
Whether you are a residential or business customer, there are steps you can take if you lose power for an extended time during a PSPS outage.
- Keep important telephone numbers near your home’s main phone (fire department, paramedics, police, hospital, doctors, relatives, neighbors).
- Place flashlights in handy locations, like near the home phone.
- Install surge protectors to safeguard valuable electronics like computers and home entertainment systems. Be sure they are properly rated for your electronics.
- Get acquainted with your home’s utility boxes (electricity, water, and gas), learn how to turn them off, and keep the tools handy.
- Make sure your water heater is braced, anchored, or strapped in compliance with California law.
- Learn to manually open your home’s automatic garage door or gate when power is out.
- Gather loved ones periodically to review the family safety plan, including how you’ll address the needs of infants, the elderly, people with disabilities, and pets.
- Conduct employee awareness training to educate staff on the safest response before, during, and after an event.
- Learn how to override or manually operate security gates.
- Develop a business continuity plan that defines employee roles and responsibilities during an electric outage.
- Create a list of critical equipment that must be turned off during an outage to prevent damage.
- Try to keep mobile devices fully charged at all times.
- Familiarize yourself with your office’s utility boxes (electricity, water, and gas) and how to turn them off; keep the proper tools to do so handy.
- Identify an off-site meeting area in case you need to evacuate.
- If you plan to operate an emergency generator during any outage, please call us at 1-800-990-7788 to let us know. This helps us protect our employees from possible electrical back feed.
- If you have a portable gas generator, identify an outdoor location where you can safely use it in a power outage – never use it indoors.
- If you do not have a generator, consider renting a portable one, if needed. (Please note that we cannot reimburse you for this cost.)
Common Questions about PSPS Events
You can expect to hear from us at regular intervals:
- 4-7 days ahead: When we see extreme weather forecasts, we begin planning up to a week in advance. Please consult our weather awareness map for a seven-day weather forecast.
- 3 days ahead: We send initial notifications about a possible power shutoff to local and tribal governments, emergency officials, first responders, hospitals, and other critical infrastructure and service providers. We post advance information to the Public Safety Partner portal and show affected areas and resources on the Outage Map.
- 2 days ahead: We send initial notifications to customers, and notification updates to local governments and agencies.
- 1 day ahead: We send updated timing information to all customers.
- 0-4 hours ahead: Whenever possible we send notifications that power is likely to be shut off.
- Please note: Erratic or sudden onset of weather conditions may affect our ability to provide advance notice to customers.
Once a safety shutoff is in progress, you can expect to receive these notifications:
- Power shutoff: We’ll inform you when power has been shut off.
- Preparing to Restore Power: We will let you know when field crews have begun to inspect our lines to determine whether it is safe to restore power.
- Power restoration: We’ll inform you when power has been restored, at which time our Outage Map will reflect your all-clear status.
- PSPS all-clear: We’ll also inform you about which circuits are no longer being considered for PSPS
Please note: Certain situations may prevent SCE from providing advance notice to customers. Other notifications may occur as needed to keep customers informed.
We intend to notify affected customers approximately two days in advance of a potential power shutoff. This notification will be sent via email, text, or phone call. We may also send another notice to customers one day before a potential power shutoff. We will keep customers updated regularly on our website and social media channels. We will also notify affected customers when power has been restored. SCE customers can sign up for PSPS alerts in English and other available languages at sce.com/pspsalerts
Each of California’s investor-owned utilities determines when a PSPS is called and how it will be implemented. California’s three largest utilities, at the direction of the California Public Utilities Commission, coordinate to prepare all Californians for the threat of wildfires and power outages during times of extreme weather. Find more information about this statewide effort at prepareforpowerdown.com.
Strong winds combined with dry ground conditions can increase wildfire threat. These same winds can cause vegetation or other items to blow into power lines and could result in an ignition, possibly creating a significant wildfire. Under these situations, we may shut off power to customers to keep you and your community safe. SCE considers a number of factors and conditions before declaring a PSPS, including but are not limited to:
- High winds
- Low humidity
- Dry vegetation that could serve as fuel
- On-the-ground observations
- Fire threat to electric infrastructure
- Public-safety risk
Customers who live in high fire risk areas are more likely to experience a PSPS. However, customers who do not live in high-fire-risk areas may also be affected because of how the electrical grid is interconnected. SCE has a network of circuits providing power to 15 million people within a 50,000-square-mile area of central, coastal, and Southern California. Anyone in California could be affected by emergency events such as safety shutoffs and needs to be prepared with a plan.
SCE customers should update their contact information and sign up for PSPS alerts at sce.com/pspsalerts.
Supporting PSPS Pages
Weather and other factors influence PSPS decisions and may change where, and for how long, customers are affected. SCE provides tools and resources for insight into the factors that could trigger a PSPS event, as well as for learning about what we’re doing to prevent wildfires.
![Weather and Fire Detection Map](/https/www.sce.com/sites/default/files/2022-12/Weather%20and%20Fire%20Detection%20Map.jpg)
Weather and Fire Detection Map
View current weather conditions, red flag warnings, and other wildfire-related weather threats.
![PSPS Weather Awareness Map](/https/www.sce.com/sites/default/files/2022-12/psps_weather_awareness.jpg)
PSPS Weather Awareness
Stay informed about developing weather trends with our seven-day outlook.
Wildfire Prevention Efforts>
Learn how we’re helping to prevent wildfires before they happen, better predict when a wildfire may occur, and respond quickly if one starts.
![Wildfire Prevention Efforts](/https/www.sce.com/sites/default/files/2022-12/Wildfire%20Mitigation%20Efforts_0.jpg)
Customer Resources and Support
Our top priority during a power outage is your safety and that of our crews. Follow the link below for programs and services that can help you prepare for a Public Safety Power Shutoff.