San Diego Gas & Electric began Public Safety Power Shutoffs Friday as thousands of customers face losing their electricity due to extreme heat and Santa Ana winds.
The first small batch of customers to temporarily lose power is in Descanso. But in all, nearly 35,000 customers in North, East and South County could see their power shutdown as temperatures soar through Monday.
The largest cities on the list are El Cajon and Poway, but the shutoffs will affect more than 30 San Diego County communities, including Boulevard, Fallbrook, Julian, Lakeside, Ramona, Pauma and Valley Center.
An up-to-date list of impacted communities can be found online, along with resource centers available for residents who need them. The region is subject to shutoffs from 5 a.m. Friday through 6 p.m. Monday.
The utility is aiming to help reduce wildfire risk and promote public safety by temporarily shutting power in certain areas. The Emergency Operations Center, SDG&E said in a news release, will continue to evaluate the extreme heat, high winds and severe wildfire conditions in the forecast.
“Our teams are continuously monitoring weather, energy demand and system conditions, adjusting operational plans as conditions evolve, and positioning personnel and resources so teams can respond quickly if conditions affect equipment or electric service, while keeping customers informed,” said Kevin Geraghty, chief operating and safety officer.
The National Weather Service has issued an extended Extreme Heat Warning for portions of San Diego County, running from Friday morning through Oct. 8. Forecasters predict that temperatures on the hottest days could reach around 90 degrees near the coast and the upper 90s to mid-100s in the valleys.
Community Resource Centers also will be available for customers impacted by a shutoff. These locations are open to the public and offer water, snacks, air conditioning, Wi-Fi and phone and medical device charging.
In Descanso, the center is the county’s Descanso Branch Library, 9545 River Drive.
State regulators approve the power shutoffs as a safety tool of last resort to mitigate fire risk during dangerous weather conditions.
Customers can help manage energy use by reducing or shifting non-essential electricity use away from the period between 4 and 9 p.m., when energy demand is typically highest, according to SDG&E.
“Small actions across the region can collectively help reduce stress on theelectric system during prolonged periods of high demand,” SDG&E officials said.
SDG&E also has partnered with 211 San Diego, a free, confidential service that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in over 200 languages to provide information to residents. Customers with hearing impairments can dial 211 or 711 and ask to be connected to 211 at 858-900-1211.
For ongoing updates residents may follow the utility’s X channel at @SDGE. SDG&E’s outage map also is available for unplanned outage details and expected restoration times.
City News Service contributed to this report.
