Palm Desert residents raise concerns over planned overnight power outage during extreme heat
UPDATE 7/28 7:26 A.M.: According to SCE, the maintenance outage has been rescheduled for August 9 at 10 PM due to customer concerns.
PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – Some Palm Desert residents are questioning why a planned overnight power outage is being scheduled during one of the hottest stretches of summer.
Southern California Edison has scheduled a maintenance outage affecting approximately 878 customers in Palm Desert. The outage is expected to begin at 10 p.m. Tuesday and continue until 7 a.m. Wednesday in the area of Fred Warning Drive and Monterey Avenue.
Residents say they understand maintenance is necessary to keep the electrical grid reliable, but they believe the work could have been postponed until cooler months.
“Last week it was 116. It’s supposed to be 112,” said Palm Desert resident Darby Bressler, one of the customers expected to lose power during the overnight outage. “That’s hot. Even though it’s between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., you have to sleep through that.”
Getting answers, News Channel 3 asked Southern California Edison why the work couldn’t wait.
“Maintaining the electric system is a year-long process, and we need to stay on top of this work even during the summer,” said Edison spokesperson Diane Castro. “It’s just crucial to keeping the power flowing reliably, and we don’t want to delay the outages, which could cause equipment to fail, especially during long periods of heat.”
For Bressler, the concern goes beyond just the heat.
“There are elderly people out here too who are on health machines that require electricity,” Bressler said. “They say after four hours you need to get rid of anything that has eggs, cream, dairy, milk, condiments, salad dressing.”
Southern California Edison acknowledged planned outages can be disruptive but says they take several steps to reduce the impact on customers.
“The crews know exactly what needs to be updated,” Castro said. “They are prepped and ready to go, and the outage is typically much shorter… We do send a letter in the mail. We also send it via text. We notify all the affected residents in advance.”
As the outage approaches, Bressler says she’s taking extra precautions to minimize the impact.
“My daughter suggested we get dry ice for the fridge,” she said, adding that her family is also considering sleeping downstairs where temperatures may be cooler.
Southern California Edison encourages customers to prepare for planned outages by keeping flashlights, extra batteries, drinking water and a first aid kit readily available. Customers with medical needs are also encouraged to have backup plans in place in case power is interrupted.
Residents can check Southern California Edison’s outage map for the latest information on scheduled maintenance outages in their area.
Stay with News Channel 3 for more.
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