Coachella Valley Businesses Brace for Power Outages Amid Extreme Heat

As the summer heat intensifies across the Coachella Valley, utility experts are warning of the increased risk of power outages—whether due to system strain or public safety shutoffs. Temperatures topping 110 degrees have already triggered isolated outages in Palm Springs, and more may be on the way.

NBC’s Brett Rosen spoke with local business owners and residents about the growing concern. In Old Town La Quinta, shop owner Virginia Vecin recalled losing power for three days in late June. “I was outside at 3 a.m. with a flashlight trying to figure out what was going on,” she said. “I lost food, and there was no way to cool down—even outside.”

Vecin says her store is required to close if indoor temperatures exceed 100 degrees and power is lost. “We won’t have registers, air conditioning—it’s just not safe,” she said.

Nearby boutique owner Cherry Bustamante said she’s prepared to operate even during blackouts. With experience running a mobile business, she uses a phone-based POS system that allows her to keep transactions going—even outside. “Luckily, it’s very mobile,” she said.

Southern California Edison notes that public safety power shutoffs are rare in the Coachella Valley, but still urges residents to prepare.

Tips to Stay Cool & Conserve Energy:

• Close blinds and curtains during the day

• Set thermostats to 85° when away, 78° when home

• Use ceiling or portable fans instead of lowering the A/C

• Keep backup batteries or power banks charged

With more 115°+ days in the forecast, residents and business owners alike are hoping to avoid the worst—but are preparing just in case.

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