Southern California Utilities Cut Power, Gas to Hundreds of Households on Shifting Coastal Land

Hundreds of homes in the Rancho Palos Verdes community are without power as a safety measure after Southern California Edison deemed the area at risk due to land movement.

According to an article by Lisa Jacobs in the Daily Breeze, the Southern California Gas Company first shut off service to 135 homes in July. Now, Edison will cut off power to 140 more homes in Portuguese Bend and 105 in Seaview.

City officials issued evacuation warnings to the affected homes. “Residents were warned not to use water or plumbing after the electricity is shut off for fear of triggering a sewage spill in the area.” SoCalGas cut off natural gas service to some homes in late July, while Cal Water says it will continue providing water service to the area.

As Jacobs notes, “The steady, creeping landslide has rattled the Rancho Palos Verdes community for many months. Just this week, the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council extended a local emergency, spurred by the land movement that increased following the heavy rains that impacted the area starting in the spring of 2023.” Meanwhile, a group of residents is suing the city and and government agencies, claiming they failed to protect residents and contributed to the landslide damage by not acting sooner.