Planned overnight electricity shutoffs in Calabasas were set to start during a Southern California heat wave expected to bring triple-digit temperatures, leaving hundreds of residents facing hot nights without power.
For families already struggling to keep their homes cool, the outage schedule intensified frustration over whether critical utility work is being carried out with enough consideration for people living through extreme weather.
What's happening?
CBS News reported that more than 500 Southern California Edison customers in Calabasas' Greater Mulwood area were slated for overnight outages on Friday and Saturday.
Edison says the shutoffs are tied to local equipment upgrades designed to lower wildlife-related risks and help prevent future service interruptions, according to CBS News.
Residents, however, say the timing could hardly be worse.
Among those affected is Jonathan Bobbitt, a resident affected by the shutoffs, who told CBS, "On a heat wave. It's horrible, it's unbearable." He also said, "Our house gets so hot. It's harder to sleep when ... it's 80, 90 degrees in your house."
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Southern California Edison revised the schedule after re-evaluating its plans, moving the start time from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Calabasas Mayor James Bozajian said, "I haven't really seen that before, where they change hours. They must have gotten quite a bit of pushback."
Why does it matter?
Planned outages can be disruptive at any time, but during a heat wave they can quickly become a serious health and safety issue.
When air conditioning, fans, and refrigeration are cut off, homes can stay dangerously hot long after sunset, especially in properties that hold heat throughout the day.
That burden can fall hardest on people with the fewest options.
Bozajian said, "Elderly and some people, maybe with disabilities, they have limited ability to get out of the house or to go somewhere else, or to take alternatives."
For many residents, simply leaving home late at night is not a practical solution.
The situation also highlights a tension facing communities across the West. Utilities are under pressure to modernize aging systems and reduce both fire and wildlife risks, but those upgrades can still create immediate hardships if not timed carefully.
Residents appear to support the safety improvements. What they object to is having those improvements come at the expense of their health during extreme heat.
What's being done?
According to CBS News, Edison said customers were notified two weeks in advance and that the overnight work would go ahead because crews are scheduled to complete equipment upgrades aimed at reducing wildlife-related danger and preventing future outages.
City officials are also working on a response.
Bozajian said Calabasas was preparing assistance for vulnerable residents who may have needed relief from the heat during the shutoffs.
"I just think that there could be better planning for this," said one resident. "It's called reschedule the entire thing, not just reschedule the hours."
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
