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UPDATE: 4K SDGE customers get power back, more restorations expected overnight

SDGE power outages 9/3/22
Posted at 5:50 PM, Sep 03, 2022
and last updated 2022-09-04 00:51:28-04

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The San Diego Gas and Electric Company reported that more than 10,000 customers lost power Saturday afternoon as a heat wave pushed temperatures into the triple digits.

As of 9:30 p.m., a little over 4,000 customers got their power back; however, SDGE's outage map indicated that some customers won't see power restored until the early morning hours Sunday. The outage listing for customers in the Fall Brook and Pala Mesa areas said power might not be back on in those communities until 10 a.m. Sunday

SDGE reported outages in the following areas at 9:30 p.m.:

  • Oceanside/San Luis Rey/Ocean Hills: 25 customers out
  • North Vista: 457 customers out
  • Fall Brook/Pala Mesa: 481 customers out
  • Encinitas: 152 customers out
  • Paradise Hills/Skyline/Bay Terraces: 48 customers out
  • Santee/Carlton Hills: 1 customer out
  • Granite Hills;Bostonia/East El Cajon: 1 customer out
  • NE Fall Brook/De Luz: 541 customers out
  • Carlsbad/La Costa: 2 customers out
  • Encanto/Emerald Hills/Valencia Park: 601 customers out
  • La Jolla/Bird Rock/Soledad Mountain: 414 customers out
  • Old Town/Missio Hills/Hillcrest: 356 customers out
  • Mission Bay/Pacific Beach: 637 customers out
  • Rolando/E. State College: 129 customers out
  • City Heights/Chollas Creek/Oak Park: 315 customers out
  • University Heights/North Park/Normal Heights: 1,893 customers out

SDGE told ABC 10News a little after 6 p.m. it was still assessing which circuits were impacted by the heat. The utility company posted the following statement on Twitter around 6:45 p.m.:

"Our crews are working as quickly and safely as possible to restore power to neighborhoods affected by today's unplanned outages. While our troubleshooters are assessing the cause of each outage, initial reports are showing that heat can be a factor. Weather often has the most impact on our grid, whether it's rain, heat or snow. Please check sdge.com/outages for estimated restoration times. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to restore each outage."

These outages happened as California's power grid manager asked people to conserve their energy during the heat wave, since the high temperatures push the grid to its limits. The California Independent System Operator issued flex alerts between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. four days in a row.

Energy officials recommend doing the following to save energy during a flex alert:

  • Set thermostat to 78 degrees or higher, if health permits
  • Avoid using major appliances
  • Turn off all unnecessary lights

According to the National Weather Service in San Diego, several record high temperatures were recorded in the area on Saturday.

The San Diego Airport's new record high is 95 degrees, breaking the previous record of 92 degrees set in 1998. In Chula Vista, 96 degrees beats out the previous record high of 94, which was recorded in 1955. Meanwhile, in Idyllwild, 98 degrees holds the belt for highest temperature, beating out the 95-degree mark from 2020.

This is a developing story. ABC 10News has reached out to SDGE for more information about the power outages.