What the utility is doing
San Diego Gas & Electric Co., part of Sempra, has begun targeted shutoffs to lower the chance that electrical equipment could ignite a blaze. Utilities refer to these planned outages as public safety power shutoffs - a deliberate step to reduce fire risk. So far, the company has turned off service for a small number of customers in Descanso and is alerting others that more outages are possible in the coming days.
Why now
A stretch of extreme heat paired with strong, hot winds is elevating fire danger across the region. Forecasts call for the winds to reach their highest speeds on Saturday, while extreme heat warnings remain in effect through Thursday. With both conditions in play, SDG&E is preparing for targeted shutoffs that could affect up to 35,000 homes and businesses.
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The bigger picture and your portfolio
Across the U.S. West, utilities have taken more aggressive steps to reduce the risk of starting deadly wildfires. Companies are turning to public safety power shutoffs far more often as they work to prevent blazes and reduce potential financial liabilities. For your wallet, the tradeoff is straightforward: these preventive outages can add short-term reliability headaches, but they are part of how utilities are managing wildfire exposure that can ripple into costs and service quality.
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