A maintenance outage is a temporary power shutoff by SCE to allow crews to safely perform maintenance and upgrades to electrical infrastructure. This includes replacing aging poles, underground cables, and overhead conductors. While these outages can be inconvenient, they are essential for modernizing the grid to meet changing electricity usage and ensure reliable service.

What is a Maintenance Outage?

Sometimes SCE may need to shut off your power temporarily to allow our crews to safely perform maintenance and scheduled upgrades to our electrical infrastructure. This can include replacing aging poles and multiple segments (or even many miles) of underground cable or overhead conductors.

We recognize that temporary outages can be inconvenient and appreciate your patience. Upgrading and modernizing our grid reflects the way customers are changing the way they use electricity and remains an important part of our vision to keep your electricity flowing reliably, now and in the future.

Visit our Outage Map to see if power in your neighborhood is shut off due to a maintenance outage.

Preparing for a Maintenance Outage

Three Days Out*

At least three days before a scheduled maintenance outage we will notify you so you can take any necessary precautions. Please be aware, however, that timing can change for safety reasons. It’s possible that a maintenance outage can be rescheduled, canceled, or end earlier than planned.

Your notification will include a Scheduled Outage Number that you may enter into our Outage Map to receive the latest updates.

*Certain equipment conditions may require SCE to take immediate action, without notifications, to perform repairs or inspections that protect the safety of our customers and ensure the reliability of our service.

Maintenance Outage Day

On the day of your maintenance outage, you may see our crews in your neighborhood and experience road closures or increased traffic in the area. (You might wish to add extra time to your commute.) Please keep in mind that we may need to turn the power off and on more than once during the outage. As soon as we have confirmation from our crews, our Outage Map will reflect the time when your power will be restored.

Whether it's a maintenance outage or a blackout from an unexpected storm, it’s always best to be prepared for a power outage. Additional preparatory measures may include the following safety measures.

• Keep a Safe Distance from Crew Members 

  If you see our crew members in your neighborhood, please do not approach them. If crew members need to get in touch with you, they will call or knock on your door. Please be assured that the safety of our workforce, our customers, and the public remain our top priority.

• Disconnect Electronic Equipment

  Shut off or disconnect all sensitive electronics before the outage to prevent damage or loss of data.

• Consider Security Gates

  Review the instructions for your electric gates and learn how to operate them manually.

• Prepare Alarm Systems

  Please alert your security company of the outage. The outage will affect your alarm systems and may affect private phone systems.

• About Emergency Generators

  Business customers may wish to rent a portable generator, but please note that we cannot reimburse you for this cost. If you plan to use a generator, call 1-888-759-6056 so we can safeguard our employees.