Updated October 1, 2026
Southern California Edison told customers on August 17, 2026 that Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) “could happen more frequently, impact more customers, and last longer” this fire season. If you live in SCE territory, the question isn’t whether you’ll lose power this fall — it’s how you’ll keep the lights, the fridge, and the medical equipment running when it happens.
Why are SCE power shutoffs expected to be worse this year?
SCE updated the formula it uses to predict fire-risk weather, with refined wind-speed thresholds and earlier de-energization triggers. That means circuits that have never been shut off before could now qualify, and outages that used to last a few hours could stretch into multiple days.
The change follows a run of damaging wildfires tied to utility equipment, including the 2025 Eaton Fire, which killed 19 people. SCE’s own guidance is blunt: register for outage alerts, stock emergency supplies, and have a backup power plan — the utility specifically points customers toward portable generators and portable power stations as stopgaps. That’s a reasonable minimum, but it also tells you how seriously SCE expects these events to disrupt daily life.
How do you know if your home is in a high fire risk area?
The quickest way is SCE’s online outage and wildfire map: enter your address, then filter for High Fire Risk Areas (HFRA) and active PSPS circuits. SCE’s High Fire Risk Areas are broken into three tiers — Severe Risk, High Consequence, and other HFRA — with Severe Risk circuits the most likely to see shutoffs this season. Homes in the San Fernando, Santa Clarita, and Antelope Valleys, along with foothill communities across SCE’s service area, are the ones that should check first.
If your address sits inside or near an HFRA, plan for outages measured in days, not hours.
How much battery capacity do you need to get through a PSPS?
A typical U.S. home uses around 30 kWh per day. To cover just the essentials — refrigerator, lighting, phone and medical device charging, Wi-Fi, and a window AC unit — you generally need 10–15 kWh of usable storage for 24 hours. Backing up the whole home for a full day takes closer to 25–35 kWh.
A single Tesla Powerwall 3 holds 13.5 kWh of usable capacity, enough for essential loads for about a day; many LA homeowners pair two units for 27 kWh to comfortably ride out a 24–48 hour shutoff, or stack more for multi-day coverage. Our solar battery and backup systems page breaks down sizing by household and appliance load in more detail.
Battery backup or a generator — which makes more sense for a PSPS?
A solar-charged battery switches over automatically and silently, recharges for free from your panels during a multi-day event, and needs no fuel runs. A generator is cheaper upfront and can be sized for higher surge loads, but it needs fuel on hand, regular maintenance, outdoor placement away from windows, and manual starting unless you’ve paid for an automatic transfer switch.
For a short, predictable outage, a generator can get you by. For the kind of multi-day, wider-reaching PSPS event SCE is now describing, a battery paired with solar is the lower-maintenance option: it keeps charging itself as long as the sun is out, which a generator tank can’t do.
What does a home battery system cost in 2026, now that the federal tax credit is gone?
The 30% federal residential tax credit (Section 25D) expired December 31, 2025, under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, so a battery purchased and owned outright in 2026 doesn’t qualify for it. Installed costs for a Tesla Powerwall 3 in Southern California currently run roughly $13,000–$18,000 depending on unit count and electrical work, as of October 2026.
The one path still offering an effective 30% reduction is a third-party-owned (TPO) lease or power purchase agreement, where the installer — not you — claims the commercial 48E credit, available through the end of 2027. This is general information, not tax advice. Consult a licensed tax professional about your specific situation.
If your main electrical panel is older or undersized, it may also need a panel upgrade before a battery can be installed — worth checking early so it doesn’t delay your install before Santa Ana season peaks.
What should you do before Santa Ana season peaks?
Check your address against SCE’s HFRA map, size your backup needs against your actual daily usage, and get your panel and battery options assessed now — installation backlogs tend to grow once the first big PSPS event of the season hits the news. PV Sky USA installs solar and battery backup systems and is a Tesla-certified installer across the LA area.
Call (818) 378-9204 or use our contact form to schedule a free backup-readiness assessment before the next Red Flag Warning.