As members of Southern California Edison's customer support team, Daniel Cortez and Armando Rangel usually help answer questions over the phone, but at the Altadena Disaster Recovery Center, they now offer assistance face-to-face.
The facility acts as a one-stop resource for community members impacted by the Eaton Fire — residents can get help from county, state and federal organizations six days a week.
“Being in person is really helpful,” said Rangel, an SCE energy advisor. “We know it can be frustrating to wait in a phone queue before getting to a live representative. Being here allows us to walk customers through any issues they are having right on the spot.”
“We can look up the customer’s account right there and many times help immediately,” added Cortez, SCE energy advisor. “Even if we don’t have the answer, we know who to call to get it.”
Both have been working to support customers at different sites since the start of the wind event in early January, solving account questions.
Alongside disaster relief groups, SCE team members are available to answer any service-related questions that arise during the restoration and rebuild process.
SCE Planner William Layton recently joined the two at the resource center after being hands-on assessing damage and designing the rebuild of SCE’s equipment. He is now on-site to assist with any operational questions that come up.
“I’m on the design and project management side,” Layton said. “If there's something more planning-oriented, I can explain — some residents have questions about restoration timelines or what they would need to do to rebuild, and I can help with that.”
With these three available to assist, customers can leave with the answers they need.
Some of the most common questions include:
Q: Why don’t I have power?
A: Depending on whether your home has damage to the meter, weatherhead or other areas that may pose a threat of ignition when energized, the county will need to do an inspection to make sure it is safe to reenergize. In other cases, SCE may still be assessing potential long-term solutions and temporary power will be provided in the meantime.
Q: I lost my home; what happens to my account?
A: If it is determined that your home was destroyed due to the January wildfires, we will remove any outstanding or past-due balance from your account. Your account will also be closed and you will not receive any further billing statements. If you are enrolled in My Account, you may still see a balance when you log in. Rest assured that there is no balance due and any balance showing will be removed once SCE closes your account.
Q: Am I going to get a bill this month? Why or why not?
A: In January, SCE placed temporary holds on accounts for a subset of customers within Los Angeles and Ventura counties as information was gathered to determine impact. Billing has since resumed for accounts not directly impacted by significant damage or destruction. Due to the inconvenience, late payment charges were waived for 60 days from the billing date. Payment plans are also available.
Q: I was told I need a county inspection before I can get power; what do I do?
A: If the home is red-tagged or damaged, customers will need to have it inspected by LA County Department of Public Works before SCE can energize the home. Customers need to reach out to the county and once the inspection is completed, a county representative will notify SCE that the home is ready for energization.
Q: My house is one of the only ones on my street that made it through the fire; how do I get power?
A: SCE is identifying and contacting customers whose homes survived the fire, but the majority of the neighbors’ homes and equipment did not. While SCE assesses long-term solutions, temporary power will be made available.
Q: I need temporary power to rebuild; where do I start?
A: Call SCE's dedicated disaster recovery line at 1-800-250-7339 or visit the resource center. Customers must submit a service request to SCE and apply for a permit with the county to authorize a temporary pole. The county will inspect the installation of the temporary power and will send an inspection release to SCE. Once the release is received, SCE will send a crew to set the meter and energize the temporary power.
Q: What is going to happen to my solar account?
A: If you plan to rebuild and want to continue using your solar generation system, customers need to contact SCE within two years. To keep your original solar plan, you must submit the solar application and rebuild within four years.
Q: Does SCE reimburse for hotel stays?
A: No. SCE does not reimburse customers for hotel stays or groceries. Customers in a high fire risk area could be eligible for rebates on generators and batteries.
Q: I’m in Malibu; what do I do if I need service or temporary power?
A: Malibu area residents can call a dedicated customer support team at 1-800-250-7339 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, or Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. SCE is working on a similar in-person resource for the Malibu area, which will be announced soon.
The resource center will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday until further notice. It is located at 464 West Woodbury Rd., Suite 210, Altadena, CA 91001.
For more information, visit sce.com/disasterrecovery.
