Topanga Groups Demand SCE Halt Preemptive Blackout Plans
Written by 991KBU on August 30, 2018
The Topanga Community Alliance is demanding that Southern California Edison call off its plan to black out local power circuits in heavy Santa Ana winds.
Six civic groups in Topanga .. including the Chamber of Commerce and the Topanga Town Council … signed a letter sent to the utility company yesterday.
They are demanding that the utility postpone implementing what they call a poorly conceived program.
And they want Southern California Edison to send a letter to its customers explaining that they made a mistake and that the plan is under review.
In Malibu … more than 20 residents have complained to the city council about the blackout plan.
But the city Council has not taken any formal action against it.
The California Public Utilities Commission has already given the local power company permission to turn off electricity when Edison determines that its power lines presented a risk of fire.
California law requires utility companies to provide safe and reliable power … and until now … the state had set a 92 mph Standard for safe powerlines.
Opponents contend that the new state regulation allows the utility companies to evade that responsibility.
The company says is taking reasonable and prudent safety steps in the light of a new reality of year round Santa Anas.
