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Service Expected to be Restored Tonight to 95 Percent of Customers Who Lost Service Due to High Winds

Southern California Edison (SCE) made steady progress overnight and this morning in restoring service to customers who lost power because of hurricane-force winds.  Field crews are continuing to work today, with the expectation that power will be restored by 8 p.m. tonight to 95 percent of customers whose service was interrupted by the wind storm.  The company expects power to be restored to 99.9 percent of customers who lost service by 8 p.m. tomorrow.  As of    3 p.m. PST today, SCE had 42,131 customers without service.

Crews are working to restore service as safely and quickly as possible. There are 273 SCE and contract crews working currently to restore service. Some restoration efforts initially were hampered by huge trees and other large pieces of debris, which blocked access for crews to equipment.

On Sunday, SCE will have seven community outreach centers in the hardest hit areas open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. where customers can get free basic supplies, including flashlights, water and ice (based on availability). The centers are at the following locations:

  • Altadena: Altadena Community Center 730 E. Altadena Dr.
  • Arcadia: Los Angeles County Regional Park corner of Huntington Drive and Santa Anita Avenue, northeast corner of parking lot
  • La Cañada Flintridge:  Community Park - 1327 Foothill Blvd.
  • San Gabriel: Fire Station 51 1303 S. Del Mar Ave.
  • Sierra Madre: Memorial Park, 222 W. Sierra Madre
  • Temple City: City Hall EOC.  9701 Las Tunas Ave.
  • Temple City: Live Oak Park Community Center, 10144 Bogue St.

The extremely high winds caused considerable damage to the distribution power grid, power lines, poles and equipment. Customers are asked to stay away from any downed or dangling lines, including those between homes and power poles. A downed line or dangling wire is dangerous even if it appears not to be live.

SCE also is asking customers who have downed lines on or near their homes or businesses to call 911 and stay inside to remain safe until SCE crews can repair the lines. Customers unable to reach a 911 operator quickly can call SCE customer service at (800) 655-4555.

Photos showing crews restoring service and the impact of the wind storm are available at: http://www.sce.com/sceandyou/recovery.htm

Hardest hit areas
The hardest hit areas served by SCE as of 3 p.m. today are: Alhambra, Altadena, Arcadia, Duarte, La Cañada Flintridge, Monrovia, Rosemead, San Gabriel, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, Temple City and an unincorporated portion of Los Angeles County.

Safety reminders
When power is out, SCE reminds its customers to:

  • Use flashlights and have a battery-operated radio. Use flashlights for lighting during a power outage; do not use candles because they pose a significant fire hazard.
  • Watch for traffic signals that may be out. Approach those intersections as four-way stops.
  • Do not use equipment indoors that is designed for outdoor cooking. Such equipment can emit carbon monoxide and other toxic gases.Leave the doors of your refrigerator and freezer closed to keep your food as fresh as possible. An unopened refrigerator can keep foods cold enough for a couple of hours. A half full freezer will stay cold for up to 24 hours and a full freezer for 48 hours. If you must eat food that was refrigerated or frozen, check it carefully for signs of spoilage.
  • Check on your neighbors to make sure everyone is safe.

About Southern California Edison
An Edison International (NYSE:EIX) company, Southern California Edison is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities, serving a population of nearly 14 million via 4.9 million customer accounts in a 50,000-square-mile service area within Central, Coastal and Southern California.

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Southern California Edison Crews Make Steady Progress in Restoring Power; Service Expected to be Restored Tonight to 95 Percent of Customers Who Lost Service Due to High Winds