What Happened in the October 2026 Southern California Power Shutoffs

Southern California Edison (SCE) shut off power on purpose on Oct 15 and 16, 2026, to lower the risk of wildfire during Santa Ana winds. SCE’s outage map showed 40,531 customers shut off on Thursday afternoon and 69,746 customers without power by 7 a.m. Friday, across Los Angeles and Ventura counties. SCE said everyone was back on by Sunday, Oct 18.

This kind of outage is called a Public Safety Power Shutoff, or PSPS. Here is what happened, why SCE did it, and what a solar battery changes for your home.

What happened and where, by date

• Wednesday, Oct 14: SCE alerted customers who might lose power. Local reports named the Santa Clarita Valley among the areas most likely to be affected.
• Thursday, Oct 15: Shutoffs began. By the afternoon, affected areas included parts of Canyon Country along Soledad Canyon Road, Bouquet Canyon north of Plum Canyon, Golden Valley Road and Castaic Junction.
• Friday, Oct 16: Shutoffs continued across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, including areas around Malibu and Calabasas.
• Saturday, Oct 17: County officials said planned shutoffs in the Malibu area were being canceled that evening.
• Sunday, Oct 18: SCE said all customers who had lost power to PSPS shutoffs over the past few days had been re-energized.

Why SCE used a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS)

A PSPS is a planned shutoff. When strong, dry winds raise the chance that power lines or equipment could spark a fire, SCE switches off the circuits at highest risk. In October, the trigger was Santa Ana winds.

SCE spokesperson Diane Castro told The Signal: “We have a responsibility to keep customers and communities safe from the threat of wildfires.”

The trade-off is that people on those circuits lose power. SCE says a PSPS may last over 24 hours. After the winds calm, crews must visually inspect every circuit before restoring power, and those inspections typically take up to eight hours.

How many customers were affected

SCE counts customers (accounts), not people, so the number of people affected is likely higher than the customer count. The figures below are snapshots taken at different times, not a final total for the event.

When	Customers	Source
Wed, Oct 14	About 259,000 could be affected (SCE estimate)	The Signal
Thu, Oct 15, afternoon	40,531 shut off; 230,065 more under consideration	The Signal, citing SCE’s outage map
Fri, Oct 16, 7 a.m.	69,746 without power: 34,946 in Los Angeles County and 34,800 in Ventura County	FOX 11 Los Angeles

We will update this page with the peak number of customers and the longest outage when SCE publishes its report on the event.

What solar-only homes and solar-plus-battery homes experience in a shutoff

A shutoff affects every home on the circuit, including homes with solar panels. What happens next depends on whether the home also has a battery.

	Solar panels only	Solar panels plus battery
When the grid goes down	The panels switch off. The U.S. Department of Energy says grid-tied solar is designed to switch off if grid power cuts out.	The system can disconnect from the grid and keep the home running on its own, which DOE calls “islanded” mode.
Why	Switching off protects utility crews working on the lines.	The battery lets the home run independently of the lines crews are working on.
In the sun	No power in the home, even on a sunny day.	The panels recharge the battery, and DOE says solar plus storage can keep delivering power, even at night.
How long	Not applicable.	EnergySage says one battery typically keeps essentials like a refrigerator, Wi-Fi router and a few lights running for a day or two. It depends on battery size and what you run.

HomeLink Solar’s Power Choice program pairs solar with a Tesla Powerwall 3 for SCE customers, and our own crews do the installs. If you already have solar, ask whether a battery can be added to your system.

What to do before the next shutoff

• Make sure SCE has your current phone number and email so you receive alerts.
• Know the timing. SCE sends notifications up to three days ahead, and an expected-shutoff notice when a shutoff is estimated within one to four hours. When winds rise suddenly, there may be little or no notice.
• Check your address on the SCE outage map. SCE says locations are usually posted up to a day before a potential shutoff.
• Plan for more than 24 hours without power.
• If someone at home uses a medical device, ask about SCE’s Medical Baseline program and its Critical Care Backup Battery program, which offers free portable batteries for eligible customers (see sce.com/ccbb).
• If you have solar, find out whether your system includes a battery and what it backs up.

For a full checklist, read How to Prepare for California PSPS Power Shutoffs and How Long Do PSPS Power Shutoffs Really Last?

Wondering whether your solar would have kept the lights on? HomeLink Solar can check your system and tell you what a battery would add. Get a free battery quote.

FAQs

Sources

• FOX 11 Los Angeles: Nearly 70,000 without power in Southern California as Santa Ana winds raise wildfire risk (Oct 16, 2026)
• The Signal: Update: Edison advises shutoffs may be imminent (Oct 15, 2026)
• The Signal: SoCal Edison issues warning for power shutoffs (Oct 14, 2026)
• KFI AM 640: Malibu’s Bryson Fire 52% contained; evacuations and power shutoffs continue (Oct 19, 2026)
• Southern California Edison: Public Safety Power Shutoffs (checked Oct 21, 2026)
• U.S. Department of Energy: Solar and Resilience Basics
• EnergySage: Do Solar Panels Work During a Power Outage? (updated Aug 11, 2026)

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