While SCE has spent billions on grid hardening, the utility maintains that extreme weather conditions necessitate de-energizing circuits to ensure community safety. Regulatory Scrutiny and Financial Penalties
SCE cut power to approximately 534,000 customers in 2025, nearly four times the 137,000 customers impacted in 2024.
Utility executives have warned of a further 20% to 40% increase in the frequency and length of these shutoffs, citing factors like below-average rainfall and prolonged periods of high winds. socal-edison-power-outage-report
Significant storms in late 2025 and early 2026 led to widespread outages in Palm Springs, where repair efforts were delayed because power poles in backyards were inaccessible to service trucks. Critical Resources for Customers
To prevent its electrical equipment from sparking wildfires during high-wind events, SCE significantly ramped up its Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) program in late 2025. While SCE has spent billions on grid hardening,
As of April 2026, several factors have contributed to service disruptions across Southern California:
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has increased its oversight of SCE’s outage management. Significant storms in late 2025 and early 2026
Southern California Edison Power Outage Analysis (2025–2026)