PowerCalifornia Signal briefing4 min read

A PSPS is not the same as a normal outage

One is a safety action taken before equipment ignites a fire; the other is an interruption caused by a fault, damage or system problem.

Power lines in a California landscape affected by the Camp Fire — Bureau of Land Management · Public domainImage source and license ↗

The difference is why the power went out

A Public Safety Power Shutoff is deliberate: a utility may turn off electricity before its equipment can start a fire in dangerous weather. A regular outage happens after something goes wrong—a failed piece of equipment, a tree branch, a crash or storm damage. Because the causes are different, the updates and restoration process can be different too.

“Under consideration” does not mean the lights are out

When a utility says an area is under consideration for a PSPS, it is describing what might happen—not who is already without power. The possible footprint can grow or shrink as weather forecasts and operating plans change.

Outage map: who is without power right now
PSPS page: possible or active safety shutoffs
Community resource centers: help available during qualifying events
Utility alerts: notices tied to your address or account

Keep the two numbers separate

Someone with a normal outage needs different information from someone preparing for a possible shutoff. Showing both as one total would hide the very thing people came to find out.