Homeowners in Rolling Hills expressed their frustration with utility companies during a city council meeting where both SoCal Gas and Southern California Edison explained why they shut off services.
Last week 37 homes lost gas and 51 homes lost power - some with both services cut off.
Residents were disappointed to learn the utility companies didn’t have a plan to get their services turned back on in the near future. And for some, even the city council members, felt the companies didn’t have strong data to shut them off.
The power and gas companies blame accelerating land movement and dynamic conditions in the area for it no longer being safe to operate and maintain service.
Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC LA's News Headlines newsletter.
The utility companies said safety is their top priority and understood the hardships this would create, but because of the dangerous situation, these hazardous conditions could cause the systems to fail or spark a wildfire.
“In 53 years, this is the first time I didn’t like living in Rolling Hills,” Arthur Zimmerman, a Rolling Hills resident, said.
Zimmerman was among the many disappointed residents at the meeting – who are relying on a generator or propane as an alternate source of power or gas.
Local
Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
“I’d like to hear a reasonable plan, of what we’re going to do, and how we’re going to do it, and even an estimate of some date, of when this is going to stop,” Zimmerman said.
The city did ask the utility companies if they would be able to reimburse them for these alternate sources of gas and power.
The companies said they would provide more information in the coming days and look forward to continuing to collaborate to come up with solutions.
