Public Safety · Kern County
PSPS Shutoffs Leave Kern River Valley, Tehachapi Without Power; Restoration Expected Saturday
Public safety power shutoffs by Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas and Electric have left the Kern River Valley, Tehachapi, areas east of Bakersfield, and communities south of Arvin without electricity amid wildfire risk from gusty winds, dry vegetation, and above-average temperatures. Residents reported gas stations, grocery stores, and other businesses closed due to the outage on Friday afternoon. PG&E spokesperson Jeff Smith said crews are monitoring wind pockets with dry vegetation to balance customer restoration against fire hazard. Edison outage maps indicate power is expected to return in the Kern River Valley and Tehachapi areas on Saturday, though crews must patrol circuits for damage before re-energizing.