Crews Ready to Respond During Heat Wave

With extreme temperatures forecast throughout much of Southern California Edison's service area this weekend into the next, SCE crews are ready to respond to power outages caused by potentially record heat. Temperatures are expected to soar 10 to 15 degrees above average in many areas.

Over the past few years, SCE has added an unprecedented amount of battery energy storage to its supply of power, helping ease electricity demand in the late afternoon and early evening hours.

Still, several consecutive days of high heat, along with warmer-than-usual nighttime temperatures, can lead to power outages because electric equipment is unable to cool sufficiently between periods of heavy use. Conserving energy during the hottest periods of the day in the afternoon and early evening hours will help ease the strain, saving energy and money on your next bill.

"This is the first major, extended heat wave of the year and we're urging our customers to be ready with emergency supplies should power outages occur," said Tom Jacobus, SCE principal manager of Business Resiliency. "We have crews positioned across our service area and we are coordinating with local city and county officials and other utilities."

Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) conditions are not expected through the week, but fire danger will increase due to the heat and dry vegetation. SCE reminds customers to be especially careful if using fireworks while celebrating the July 4th holiday.

SCE crews upgrade equipment in Palm Springs to help the electric grid be more resilient to high heat and changing weather conditions.

Tips to save energy

• Sign up for SCE's Smart Energy program, which adjusts smart thermostats.
• Set your thermostat to 78 degrees when you are home and to 85 degrees or "off" when you are away.
• Cook with a grill outside or microwave to keep your home cooler.
• Give your air conditioner a rest when you can and cool your home with open windows and fans.
• Shut off lights when leaving a room.
• Close your blinds to keep out the afternoon heat.
• Limit the opening and reopening of refrigerators, which are major electricity users in many homes.
• Plug home electronics into power strips and turn off power strips when equipment is not in use.
• Unplug electronic devices and chargers when they are not in use.
• Give your dryer a break and hang dry your clothes.
• Set pool pumps to run in the early morning or late at night.
• Businesses should shift power-intensive work to the morning or late-evening hours when possible.

For more information on current outages in SCE's service area, visit sce.com/outage-center.