SDG&E FAILS TO NOTIFY 200-300 LA MESA RESIDENTS OF PLANNED OUTAGE

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Incident cost local restaurant money , highlights risk to ratepayers with medical needs

March 14, 2012 (La Mesa) – After ECM received a question from a reader about a power outage that began Friday night, March 2 and extended until Saturday morning, March 3, we contacted SDG&E.  SDG&E spokesperson Alison Zaragosa initially said that all  2800 customers left in the dark were notified via letters mailed February 14 of the planned outage to repair an underground cable.

But after La Mesa Patch ran a story about losses incurred by Riviera Steakhouse, whose owner said he was never informed of the outage, other community members came forward to say that they, too, did not receive notification.  So we called SDG&E again. 

“We did investigate and we did miss 200 to 300,” Zaragosa told ECM.

No explanation has been provided for why the notification error occurred.  She added that the utility checked on customers known to have medical needs and that “we confirmed that all are okay.”

The incident, however, highlights the importance of reminding people who rely on electrically-powered mechanisms such as oxygen for medical needs  should sign up for SDG&E’s Medical Baseline Program at http://sdge.com/sites/eastcountymagazine.org/files/documents/baselineapplication.pdf.  

“Not only does SDG&E have special rates for those customers, but they will be in our system and we can proactively reach out to them in case of an outage emergency,” said Zaragosa, who added that the utility has been known to knock on doors or make phone calls until customers with medical needs are reached. The utility also advises such customers to consider a backup power generator, since unplanned outages may also leave such individuals vulnerable.

The outage proved inconvenient to  some La Mesa residents .  But for Riviera Steakhouse owner Sam Chammas, however, the lack of notification has proven costly. 

“It was a full bar and restaurant, and the bar was set to go past midnight, which is does when the Baja Bugs (a Beatles tribute band) play,” he told Patch.  “The action by SDG&E cost us over $1,000 in lost sales and damaged customer goodwill.”

Chammas indicated he has filed a claim against SDG&E for his losses.

 


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