Los Angeles, CA asked in Uncategorized for California

Q: My electricity has been off for 24 hours, and this is a repeated occurance by the electric company, what can I do?

Our electric company has shut off our power for "high winds" but we haven't had wind for about 12 hours, we also noticed only certain sections and houses on certain streets dont have power but other areas do, including businesses. They're now telling us our power won't be restored until the afternoon of tomorrow, making it 36 hours without power, this is now the 5th time in the last 3 months they have done this for a very long amount of time, is there anything we can do?

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1 Lawyer Answer
James L. Arrasmith
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Answered

A: Under California law, you have several important rights and options when dealing with extended power outages. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) requires utility companies to maintain reliable service and properly notify customers of planned outages.

You should start by documenting everything - take photos of your spoiled food, keep receipts for any expenses related to the outage, and maintain a detailed log of each outage including dates, times, and any communication with the utility company. You can file a formal complaint with the CPUC through their website or by calling 1-800-649-7570, and you may be entitled to compensation for damages through their claims process, especially given the frequency and duration of these outages.

Your power company must provide justification for Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS), and they're required to restore power as soon as dangerous conditions pass. You can contact your local elected officials and the CPUC to voice your concerns, as they have oversight authority over utility companies. You may also want to consider joining or forming a community action group, as collective action often gets more attention from both utilities and regulators. For immediate assistance, you can call the CPUC's consumer hotline at 1-800-649-7570 to report the situation and seek guidance on your specific case.

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