Thousands of Southern California Edison customers found themselves without power on Christmas Eve due to a transformer failure affecting the Downey and Norwalk areas. The outages began around 1:30 p.m. on December 24, with reports indicating up to 40,000 customers affected. Kathleen Dunleavy, spokesperson for Southern California Edison (SCE), acknowledged the challenges posed by the power cut during such a significant holiday period.
"Our crews are on scene working to restore power as quickly and as safely as possible. We recognize this is a tough time to be without power, right before a holiday," Dunleavy stated, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
The failure of the transformer not only disrupted power supply but also led to interruptions on the Metro C (Green) Line, as train services were temporarily halted between the Norwalk and Willowbrook/Rosa Parks stations. Authorities implemented bus shuttles to facilitate passenger movement between affected stations until power issues were resolved late afternoon.
While efforts were made to restore power swiftly, confusion remained about the exact cause and timeline for full restoration. Jeff Monford, another SCE spokesman, said, "We understand having power outage on a holiday is a hardship. We continue to work to restore power to customers safely and as quickly as possible. This outage is a major priority for us." His reassurance came as approximately 24,000 customers still faced power outages just after 7:30 p.m.
Traffic lights were also affected throughout the Downey and Norwalk communities, leading local authorities to deploy police officers to manage traffic at key intersections. Officials urged residents to exercise caution as they navigated the interspersed darkness where traffic controls were non-functional.
Reports circulated of last-minute Christmas shoppers affected by the outages, with many perusing darkened aisles of local stores. The atmosphere surrounding the holiday—typically filled with festive cheer—was significantly altered by the power failure.
By early evening on Christmas Eve, progress was made, as power restoration efforts showed promise. According to SCE's outage map, some areas, including certain neighborhoods of Santa Fe Springs, Bellflower, and South Gate, reported outages as well. By approximately 5 p.m., services on the Metro C Line resumed, bringing some relief to commuters.
The outages, primarily attributed to transformer failure precipitated by storm conditions, raised immediate concerns for many residents during one of the busiest shopping days of the year. Early forecasts for Christmas Day indicated light rain, heightening concerns about the reliability of electrical services as families prepared for the holiday.
Later reports indicated the number of affected customers fluctuated, with hundreds of customers gradually having their service restored as power crews worked diligently throughout the evening. By 6:40 p.m., reports suggested most impacted customers were back online or nearing restoration.
With the significance of the Christmas holiday, the restoration of power became critically important not only for comfort but for logistical reasons surrounding holiday celebrations. "We recognize this is incredibly important, and we want to get the power back up for our customers," Dunleavy added, reflecting the amplified pressure on SCE to resolve the outage swiftly.
Given the circumstances, customers were informed to stay patient as crews navigated challenges posed by the transformer failure and inclement weather. Local officials continued to coordinate with SCE to maintain safety and communicate updates to residents as the situation evolved.
The incident on Christmas Eve serves as a stark reminder of the potential vulnerabilities of electrical infrastructures, especially during extreme weather. Moving forward, both citizens and utility companies may draw lessons from the events of the day as discussions about infrastructure reliability grow increasingly relevant.
By the end of the evening, hopes remained high for the restoration of all services before dawn on Christmas Day, allowing families to celebrate with their loved ones as originally planned.
