SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- San Diego Gas & Electric this week turned off power to tens of thousands of customers due to high wind conditions, but almost three days into the shutoff, some customers say they’re running out of options and need their power back now.
East County resident Cynthia Chisum told ABC 10News, “It isn’t fun. We’ve lived in this house for 45 years. So, I know about power outages. But we’ve never had one of these preemptive power outages.”
Chisum isn’t new to red flag warnings and what that comes with, as precautions are taken to make sure everyone stays safe.
But this time Chisum is running out of options. Her family has been relying on candles, lamps, and battery powered equipment to make it through. Their big problem is the freezer -- without any power, their food is close to rotting.
“We have a freezer full of fish that my husband caught during a fishing trip and we hate for all that to go spoiled,” Chisum said.
Chisum said it was windy Wednesday night, but since then it’s been calm. That’s why she believes her power should be restored quickly.
SDG&E posted an update on their website laying out their restoration plans, saying “crews are conducting visual inspections of each impacted circuit to determine whether there were any wind related damage before power can be restored.”
The utility also said crews are looking for safety hazards such as downed lines, debris or tree branches caught in power lines. If no damage is found, power can be restored quickly.
For those impacted by the outages, SDG&E has set up drive-thru resource centers where customers can get water and snacks or charge devices.
