CPUC Strips Edison Of Power To Cut Power

The California Public Utilities Commission is starting over again on the issue of PSPS …. the controversial policy of allowing public safety power shutoffs.

Last summer …. with virtually no public discussion and no advance warning … the CPUC allowed Southern California Edison and other utilities to set their own rules.

Yesterday … the Commission voted to backtrack … and to begin crafting new rules for electric companies to follow. 

That is exactly what Malibu interests had asked for … when they formally challenged the July decision by the CPUC to let the electric companies write the rules. 

Zuma Beach F M Broadcasting …. licensee of radio station KBUU … filed a formal request for rehearing …. and asked the CPUC to write the rules …. with input from affected parties. 

Several members of the CPUC say the power shutoffs are increasingly needed to prevent wildfire ignition.

Commissioner Carla Peterman described shutoffs as “an option we don’t want to have to exercise often, but will exercise as necessary.”… according to a quote in the Los Angeles Times. 

Power shutoffs can also cause big problems. 

Some people depend on electricity to power medical devices. 

Residents cannot be given evacuation orders.

Water pumps fail.

Questions about this were raised by Zuma Beach FM Broadcasting last summer … 

The Malibu radio station company filed formal comments … saying it was hurt by the potential of losing power at its four radio station relay sites … at the sole discretion of the Edison Company and not local public safety officials. 

Yesterday … the commission agreed.

It adopted the exact rulemaking procedure … questions and goals requested by KBUU’s parent company. 

A formal rule-making process was opened by the commission Thursday.

The regulatory agency plans to examine a long list of questions … first raised  by the Zuma Beach FM petition of last August.

These include … how utilities should notify the public of possible shutoffs.

How to limit the effects on people with life-support devices and how utility officials should coordinate with first responders once the electricity is out.

The commission could ultimately create a new set of rules governing when and how utilities turn off the lights. 

The state says it might consider shorter-term measures such as heating and cooling centers where people can charge their phones.

As part of a parallel process at the CPUC … Edison and the other big utilities are starting work on wildlife plans … outlining their overall strategies for preventing and fighting fires.