The number of Californians affected by proactive power shutoffs has jumped 145% this year, according to California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) data.

The CPUC describes Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) as a “measure of last resort.” They are made by the state's six investor-owned utilities, including Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)—the nation's largest, and Southern California Edison, when conditions are ripe for wildfire.

In 2025, over 594,000 California customers had their electricity turned off, versus 244,000 customers the prior year.

Some factors that could trigger a PSPS include a red flag warning by the National Weather Service, extremely low humidity levels, forecasted sustained winds above 25mph, and high wind gusts.

While electric utility infrastructure has been respo

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