Generators to be installed by month’s end
Ironically, on the same day western Malibu faced another disruptive power outage, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) granted Southern California Edison a rate increase of 10% starting Oct. 1. On average, your electricity bill will rise by $17 a month or roughly $200 a year. This news comes as a blow to Malibu residents and three public schools that have been dealing with frequent unannounced power outages, and so far, no definitive explanation as to why they are occurring.
Western Malibu recently faced three outages occurring on Aug. 18 and 19, again on Sept. 2, and again on Sept. 18, the very day CPUC approved the rate hike.
Thursday’s unannounced loss of power caused a late start at Malibu High School and Malibu Middle School. The Santa Monica Malibu School District was able to send notices at 7:15 a.m. to families who were able to receive them. School eventually started at 10:00 a.m. It was another story at Malibu Elementary that last year endured a whopping 24 days without instruction due to SCE outages. After scores of complaints from parents the district said it would install temporary generators so children who have experienced so much loss after recent wildfires could at least attend school with some sense of normalcy without more obstacles caused by lack of electricity. Parents even offered to pay for generators. Temporary generators were supposed to have been installed by now, but according to SMMUSD there was a setback due to a water main break on Grayfox Street near the school. By 12:30, power was restored at Malibu Elementary according to SMMUSD.
With yet another day disrupted and hours without school instruction, the news did not sit well with Malibu City Councilmember Haylynn Conrad, who addressed the SMMUSD board “as a parent, not as a councilmember.” Conrad said, “My patience has run out … an entire summer has passed and our Malibu schools are still without reliable electricity. These are basic safety needs in 2025. This is negligent and dangerous. This is why Malibu is angry.
“That is not equity. We contribute to this district and we expect fair treatment in return. Year after year, you fail us. Our students deserve to be safe in their schools.”
SMMUSD spokesperson Brandyi Phillips said generators were expected to be installed at the three schools by month’s end, leaving just days to complete the work. In a press release, the district acknowledged the hardships endured by Malibu students. “The 2024-2025 school year was difficult for Malibu, its schools and its students. Malibu schools have experienced up to 24 days of closures due to events such as the Franklin and Palisades fires, road closures, severe weather, and power outages, including Southern California Edison’s Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events. While many of these disruptions are beyond the District’s control, efforts are underway to implement both temporary and long-term alternative power solutions to help keep schools open during outages.”
The district stated it will be installing “quick-connect systems” that will allow campuses to be powered by portable generators. These systems are scheduled to be in place by late September 2025, enabling schools to remain fully operational during PSPS events and other power interruptions.
“Looking ahead, the district is also investing in permanent alternative energy solutions. Plans include installing solar panels, battery storage systems, and generators to provide reliable, renewable backup power,” Phillips said. “A key component of this effort is the development of a solar farm on the hillside near Malibu Middle and High School. Combined with battery backup and photovoltaic systems on both the new high school and the Malibu Middle School administration/classroom buildings, this project will provide a sustainable source of power to keep schools running during future outages.” There’s no timeline stated on the completion of this sustainable power source however.
The Malibu Times spoke with a representative from SCE about the cause of the latest outages. So far, Jeff Monford only offered, “Sometimes there is an outage due to the triggering of a sensor. Perhaps a bird or another animal or a bit of debris touched a powerline, that triggers an automatic shut-off, and anytime that happens, we cannot turn the power back on until the crews have seen the entire line. Crews have to inspect the entire line from end to end, and that is one reason why some outages can take longer than we would like. We know every outage is a hardship, and crews work to restore power as quickly as they can do so safely.”