Overnight Edison shutoffs anger Calabasas residents in heat wave Play

Residents over the hill have been angered by preplanned power shutoffs by Southern California Edison. The utility is rushing to install plastic-wrapped power lines in some neighborhoods in Calabasas.

That means shutting off the power overnight while bare wire overhead lines are removed and insulated plastic lines are installed. Edison is banking big on the overhead plastic-coated lines to prevent branches or other debris from blowing into the lines and causing fires. And the power line work in neighborhoods along the 101 freeway will cut the risk of a fire starting there and blowing all the way to Malibu.

Plastic-covered overhead lines are much cheaper than burying power lines underground.

But this week’s overnight shutoffs have come during a heat wave, with daytime temperatures of 100 degrees and nighttime temperatures dropping barely below 70. Nearly 600 Calabasas residents had their powerlines cut overnight this week.

The Acorn newspaper quotes one Calabasas city council member, who got his power cut, as saying “There is never a good time to do this.”

In response to the complaints, Southern California Edison turned the power off at 9 o’clock instead of 7 o’clock, to give residents two more hours of air conditioning. Edison spokesman David Eisenhauer told the Acorn that SCE had to bring in extra crews to work overnight to do that.

Eisenhauer said residents will benefit because the plastic-coated lines are better protection against fire ignition, and that means fewer shutoffs during red-flag conditions.