Source: SDG&E
January 25, 2025 (SDG&E) – San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) announced this evening that power has been fully restored to all customers affected by recent Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). Over 19,000 customers were impacted in dozens of local communities. These shutoffs were implemented as a wildfire prevention measure in response to unprecedented weather conditions that led to prolonged high-fire risk.
“SDG&E recognizes that being without power can be incredibly frustrating and tiring. We sincerely thank our customers for their patience and understanding over these last three weeks as we took proactive steps to minimize the risk of catastrophic wildfires,” a press release from SDG&E states. ”We don't make the decision to implement shutoffs lightly. These measures are crucial for safeguarding lives, property, and entire communities during times of extreme fire risk."
Record-Breaking Conditions
The weeks-long weather event brought a rare combination of extreme Santa Ana winds, with gusts exceeding 100 mph in some places, critically low humidity levels and a historic lack of rain in the region.
By the Numbers Since January 7:
- Historic weather: San Diego County has experienced the driest start to the rainy season in the past 174 years.
- Advanced monitoring: SDG&E has 222 of the nation’s most sophisticated weather monitoring systems that are continuously tracking wind speeds and wildfire conditions. These systems, combined with millions of historical weather data points, help us make informed decisions about which communities are most at risk.
- Record-breaking winds: Wind speeds in the county reached record highs of over 100 miles per hour, with 62 wind-gust records broken at SDG&E’s weather stations.
- Community support: SDG&E opened 12 Community Resource Centers, offering services like Wi-Fi, food, and charging stations for phones and medical devices to support our impacted customers.