RivCo Power Shutoffs In Inspection Phase, Residents Await Return

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA —Southern California Edison is working to restore power after a lengthy outage, officials say. Lights would begin turning back on as early as Friday.

The Public Safety Power Shutoff event was due to high winds and the threat of wildfire, according to SoCal Edison. "While the most severe winds have started to abate, this weather is expected to continue through the early part of the weekend. Given the unsafe conditions for electric power restorations, customers may experience several days of outages. SCE will restore service as soon as it is safe to do so."

Southern California Edison (SCE) crews were inspecting circuits in many areas, and power restoration was started in some areas.

This is a circuit-by-circuit inspection and may be frustrating for some during the return to power process. Much of the county remains under a "major power outage," with multiple circuits affected by the Santa Ana weather event, which wreaked havoc across Los Angeles this week. Each circuit is unique, and it will take time for crews to inspect and restore power safely. Restoration can be delayed if damage is found or aerial patrol is needed.

NOTE: A full list of circuits affected is linked here.

While residents awaited the return to power, Edison experts maintained the outages amid gusting winds across the region. Even as the winds stilled, residents wondered at the return of their power and what to do with defrosted refrigerators and freezers full of now-spoiled food. Residents can file claims, however there are no promises to whether they'll be paid, according to SCE.

"Anyone who has lost food during the Power Safety Shutoff period can file a claim on the SCE website," spokesperson Gabrielle Ornelaz said.

Additional Resources:
SCE Community Resource Centers: https://www.sce.com/.../custom.../community-resource-centers

Warm Centers: Warm Centers are available in locations throughout Riverside County. To find a location near you, visit: https://capriverside.org/warm-centers

SCE Hotel Program is available for residents impacted by an extended power outage visit, https://www.sce.com/.../customer.../hotel-discounts

In addition, SCE has noted that if a customer needs additional services, they can call 2-1-1 or go to 211.org to learn about these resources.

Visit sce.com/psps for the latest information and outage maps. Outage specific customer service issues: 800-611-1911.

Check if your circuit is affected here: www.sce.com major outage circuit list.

For more information, visit the SCE Outage center online at www.sce.com/outage-center.