Managing power
Education officials want more notice from Edison when shut-offs possible
Following a number of local power shut-offs and residents being notified of potential shut-offs, local education officials questioned if there was a better way for Southern California Edison to handle the process.
From Oct. 11 to Nov. 1, multiple school districts either had to cancel classes or move to a minimum-day schedule. While the Tick Fire led to thousands of evacuations and the Saddleridge Fire prompted major freeway shutdowns and also resulted in school closures, some of the minimum days were prompted by weather conditions, and the controversial public safety power shut-offs.
The public safety power shut-offs, also known as PSPS, was a plan devised by utility officials to turn off electricity, “(w)hen there are potentially dangerous weather conditions in fireprone areas,” according to the Edison website.
School officials said Tuesday that, while they were given the legally required two days’ notice in advance
of the power shut-offs, they would’ve appreciated more time.
School district officials said they understood why Edison needs to shut off power over fire safety concerns. However, Castaic Union School District officials said they lost power at their bus yard for four days. The drivers were able to communicate with one another through two-way radios, but parents were unable to call the transportation yard with questions and requests.
CUSD Superintendent Steve Doyle added there was one incident in which Edison informed the school district only after power already had been shut down at the bus depot.
The district, Doyle said, was able to communicate with parents, sending out messages to homes of families, and let them know about the minimum days and school closures. However, the district would’ve appreciated more warning than they originally received, he said.
“We just had fall break on Monday and Tuesday with no school and we got notification that Wednesday morning (Oct. 9) that potentially the winds are going to be really strong and (Oct. 10), and that you may have power outages,” said Doyle. “It would’ve been nice to allow for a school district like ours to make plans in advance, rather than have us just fly by the seat of our pants.”
Improving infrastructure, community outreach
While they said they would be looking to improve upon their infrastructure and community outreach programs, Edison officials said Wednesday that, outside of a 48-hour window, it becomes nearly impossible to be confident about weather patterns causing shut-offs.
“I can tell you these are not scheduled events, and we do not decide in advance — we will look at circuit by circuit,” said Edison spokesman Robert Laffoon-Villegas. “And real confidence in the weather forecasting is really in the 48 hours ahead of the event time frame. Once we’re confident of the danger we’ll be seeing, and then we begin to notify customers.”
Sulphur Springs Union School District officials, whose district was most heavily affected by the shut-offs and fires, said they felt the same frustrations, saying more time would have been very beneficial.
“We don’t get, as superintendents, an email until literally almost that day of, that some of these things are going to happen,” said SSUSD Superintendent Catherine Kawaguchi. “I know Edison is looking into it to see how they can improve the system and how they can keep up with their maintenance, as well; we all have to work together on it.
“But it is a struggle,” Kawaguchi added.
Many things to consider
In addition to calling minimum days, superintendents have a number of factors to consider on the short notice. Kawaguchi said she and her staff have to work to think out how meals can go home with students; how to communicate with the William S. Hart Union High School District, due to some families having kids in both districts, among a number of other issues.
“We are looking to work across the board with everything from governmental agencies ... to increase the information we provide to our larger customers,” said Laffoon-Villegas. “Of course the presence of children in schools is something that we understand ... the worry parents have when their kids are there.”
“We’re continuing to work on that, strengthen cooperation, and (schools) are aware of what is happening,” said Laffoon-Villegas.
The Hart District, according to district spokesman Dave Caldwell, was often given 48 hours’ notice for the potential of shut-offs. He, along with SSUSD officials, said SoCal Edison had communicated with them effectively when the power had gone off.
“We were given about usually 48 hours’ notice, and we gathered our people together to create messaging to send to those families that may be affected,” said Caldwell. “As far as the advanced notice of whether or not Edison was going to cut off power in certain areas, we got what we got.”
I can tell you these are not scheduled events, and we do not decide in advance — we will look at circuit by circuit. And real confidence in the weather forecasting is really in the 48 hours ahead of the event time frame. Once we’re confident of the danger we’ll be seeing, and then we begin to notify customers.”
Robert Laffoon-Villegas,
Southern California Edison spokesman