4K OC Homes Without Power, 7K+ More Under Power Safety Warning

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — Almost 4,000 Orange County Southern California Edison customers went dark Wednesday, and a little over 7,000 more are under consideration for the same, as the utility initiated its Power Safety Shutoff Measures due to the growing Santa Ana winds.

The power shut-off in East Orange County includes Rancho Santa Margarita, Lake Forest, Trabuco Canyon, Anaheim, and other parts of inland Orange County began at approximately 3 p.m. and would remain that way during the Power Safety Shut-off precaution. An exact time for power restoration was not immediately available.

The power shutoff affected numerous businesses without backup generators, including grocery stores and homes. Pharmacies, area gyms, and gas stations were closed.

Residents can check their addresses to see if their home is affected by the Power Safety Shutoff service.

According to spokesperson Gabriella Ornelas, the National Weather Service has predicted gusts of up to 60 miles per hour, which led to SCE implementing the measures.

"We implement power safety shutoffs as a tool of last resort due to public safety concerns," she told Patch. Power Safety Shutoff areas are identified due to danger during Santa Ana windstorms and low levels of rain.

The power shut-off impacted a swath of Orange County and was not expected to return through much of Thursday until fire conditions eased, according to SCE.

"Note that this map (below) will reflect 'power off' until all customers on your circuit segment have had their power restored," they said.