San Diego, CA - Following a series of winter storms that swept through southern California in late January and early February, SDG&E remains committed to ensuring its customers have clean, safe and reliable energy. Despite facing hurdles like high winds, heavy rain and severe flooding, field crews worked tirelessly to minimize disruptions and ensure the safety of customers.
Overall, the electric grid performed well with 35,000 total reported customer outages over the five-day period beginning Monday, February 5, and ending Friday, February 9. Despite the relatively low number of outages for storms of this scale, the dedication of SDG&E field crews helped ensure customers were restored as quickly as possible.
"The commitment shown by the field crews during this storm was truly remarkable," said SDG&E’s Chief Operating Officer & Chief Safety Officer Kevin Geraghty. "Their dedication, even in extreme conditions, was evident in their swift response and efficient restoration efforts."
In anticipation of the storm, SDG&E’s meteorology team provided consistent, up-to-date information to field team leaders so they could pre-stage materials and mobilize additional crews to respond to emergencies as quickly as possible. This proactive approach played a crucial role in minimizing disruptions and expediting the restoration of power.
"Ensuring the safety and well-being of our customers, employees, and communities is always our top priority," said Darryl Hall, Metro Electricity Distribution Foreman. "We’re grateful to our meteorologists who made sure we were prepared for whatever the storm could throw at us, and for our customer's patience as we worked to restore power in less-than-ideal conditions."
Looking ahead, it's important to acknowledge and plan for more extreme weather conditions as our climate continues to change. That's why SDG&E remains laser-focused on building an energy grid of the future that can withstand the effects of climate change and ensuring safe, clean and reliable service for years to come. As the region continues to recover from recent storms, SDG&E remains committed to supporting the community and ensuring the reliability of its infrastructure.
Following the severe rainstorm and flooding on January 22, SDG&E activated emergency protections to make resources available to residential and small business customers impacted by the storm. Company volunteers played a critical role connecting impacted customers with information and resources at the County of San Diego’s Local Assistance Center in Spring Valley.
For continued updates or to find recovery resources and assistance, customers are encouraged to reach out to SDG&E at 1 (800) 411-7343 or visit SDGE.com/RecoveryResources.
SDG&E’s team of meteorologists are closely monitoring a storm system expected to arrive early next week to ensure the company is prepared to respond to any unplanned outages as quickly and safely as possible.