Southern California Edison appears to be in the home stretch for repairing power to the thousands of customers who were left in the dark following last week's powerful wind storm.
By 6:15 p.m. Wednesday, the utility announced just over 500 customers are still without power.
On Wednesday afternoon, residents on East Penn Street in Pasadena felt joy. "They just turned it on and it worked and it was like, cool," says storm victim, Lance Charles Senior.
It had been 7 days of no electricity and no heat since the windstorm knocked down trees and power lines last Wednesday night. But the happiness is short lived, followed closely by frustration and anger.
"That was not fast enough. It was seven long miserable days. We could not tolerate anymore. We were not on the list at all, we were completely ignored, forgotten," says storm victim Sole Teramae.
Pasadena Water & Power said there were more than 6,000 customers without power after the storm. That number was down to about 150 as of Wednesday afternoon. A spokesperson tells us the unprecedented winds have them reevaluating their disaster plans and response.
SCE has partially blamed their response on safety issues.
"One of the complications SCE is facing is a safety concern. Where trees have taken out lines and poles, crews may be able to reconstruct poles, but trees may also have taken down the lines between poles and homes," according to the utility.
The California Public Utilities Commission launched an investigation on Wednesday into SEC's actions. SEC says it is already conducting an internal investigation.
"We are looking at how we can respond to other catastrophic events we are looking at how to work with other county agencies..to avoid problem of this in the future," says Dave Ford of Southern California Edison.
Customers looking for live updates throughout the day can visit SCE's website or follow the utility on Twitter. For SCE customers who believe the utility is liable for damage, including spoiled food, the utility has set up a process to file claims.
Structures sustaining damage of $10,000 or more may qualify for temporary property tax relief. Property owners are encouraged to contact the LA County Office of the Assessor with questions or concerns. An application is also available online and should be submitted as soon as possible but no later than one year from the date of damage.
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