SCE blames computer error for Point Dume outage confusion Play

Yesterday's power outage in the Point Dume and Paradise Cove area was not a planned maintenance.

Southern California Edison's computer system was confused, and reported it to the public as a planned maintenance. Nope.

There was a circuit problem — an unplanned emergency repair job in the hills near the Latigo Canyon substation. Several hundred customers, unsure exactly how many, were blacked out from 9:53 a.m. until, for some customers, 12:16 in the afternoon.

The SCE automated outage system reported that the outage was for a scheduled maintenance repair. It was confused.

Affected residents included the infamous Cuthbert Circuit — the section of power lines that fail regularly at Paradise Cove and Point Dume. People reported all sorts of problems, up to and including a ruined birthday party for a dozen kids. And baby chicks that lost their crucial heat lamps.

SCE spokeswoman Diane Castro issued a statement, read by a KBUU reporter:

"We understand the significant impact this outage had on customers, especially those in vulnerable situations like the individuals you mentioned. Any loss of power is a hardship, and our crews worked to restore service as safely and quickly as possible once the outage occurred."

Even after the power was restored, some Malibu residents complained about getting multiple messages that power had been restored, when in fact it wasn't. Then, multiple messages about a new outage that hadn't occurred either.

Edison says the next planned outage will come later this week, and that one will affect three houses.