SCE Shut Off Power to About 70,000 Homes This October Here's How to Plan for the Next Shutoff

SCE Shut Off Power to About 70,000 Homes This October
Here's How to Plan for the Next Shutoff

When the Santa Ana winds blow, the lights may go out on purpose.

The problem: a shutoff can last longer than the wind Public Safety Power Shutoffs are meant to keep damaged equipment from sparking a fire. They also leave families without refrigeration, internet, medical devices and cooling, sometimes for more than a day. Waiting for a flashlight and a cooler is not much of a plan.

What happened in October

As of 7 a.m. on October 16, FOX 11 reported 69,746 SCE customers without power, about 34,946 in Los Angeles County and 34,800 in Ventura County. Central and western Malibu and some Calabasas circuits were among the affected areas, and a Red Flag Warning was in place through 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 17, with gusts forecast up to 60 mph in Santa Clarita. NBC Los Angeles reported that Moorpark residents were heading into a second day without electricity, with no clear restoration time. Reports also noted that more shutoffs remained possible as SCE monitored conditions.

Why it matters to you

Whether your circuit is shut off depends on local wind and fire conditions, so two nearby homes can have very different days. The one thing you control is how prepared your own home is. Solar on its own usually shuts down during a grid outage. Solar paired with a battery can keep key circuits running and recharge from the sun the next day.

How third-party ownership (TPO) works

In a TPO program, a company installs, owns and maintains the solar and battery system at your home. You pay for the power it produces without buying, leasing, or financing equipment. Many programs are designed to come in below utility rates, with savings of up to 40% depending on your home and program.

Here is what a TPO solar and battery program can offer:

Backup power for essentials during a shutoff

Stored solar for evening use

Maintenance handled for the term

Fire season is not over, so look at your options now rather than during the next red flag warning.

To find out if your home qualifies for a TPO solar and battery program, visit myhomesolution.org

Additional resources

NBC Los Angeles, Over 70K SoCal customers without power amid dangerous Santa Ana winds (Oct. 16, 2026): https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/over-70k-socal-customers-without-power-amid-dangerous-santa-ana-winds/3957220/

FOX 11 Los Angeles, SCE power shutoff, Santa Ana winds, fire risk (Oct. 16, 2026): https://www.foxla.com/news/southern-california-edison-power-shutoff-santa-ana-winds-fire-risk