Planned power outage will cut electricity across Big Bear Valley overnight Oct. 5–6

Bear Valley Electric Service (BVES) is alerting customers to a planned power outage stretching from 11:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, through 7 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6 — a 7.5-hour window that will affect service across Big Bear Valley. The interruption is not an emergency or equipment failure: it stems from scheduled maintenance on Southern California Edison (SCE) transmission lines that feed power into the area.^[1]

BVES published the notice on Friday, Oct. 2, giving customers roughly three days to prepare.^[1]

What to expect

The outage covers the full overnight window. Because it begins just before midnight, most residents will be asleep when the lights go out — but the 7 a.m. restoration time means early risers, morning commuters, and anyone who needs to get ready for work or school could wake to no power for a portion of the morning. Any device that depends on a continuous electrical connection — refrigerators holding medication, CPAP machines, home oxygen concentrators, electric heating systems — will be affected for the duration.^[1]

If you rely on medical equipment

BVES has included an explicit warning for customers who depend on life-sustaining devices. "Customers who require power to operate life-essential medical equipment are encouraged to make special accommodations or dial 9-1-1 if they are unable to secure alternative power," the notice states.^[1]

If you or someone in your household uses a ventilator, oxygen concentrator, dialysis machine, or other critical equipment, now is the time to line up backup power — whether that's a charged battery pack, a generator, or an arrangement to stay somewhere with power during the outage window. Do not wait until 11:30 p.m. Monday to figure out a plan.

BVES did not announce a specific hotline or dedicated support program for medically vulnerable customers in this notice. Residents who need guidance on backup resources can contact BVES customer service directly to ask what assistance may be available.

What could change

The schedule is subject to revision. "If the outage runs long, or if SCE plans change, we will reach out with further updates," BVES said.^[1] That means the outage could end earlier than 7 a.m. — or extend beyond it, depending on how SCE's maintenance work proceeds.

Watch for any follow-up notices from BVES between now and Monday evening. If no update arrives, plan around the full 11:30 p.m.–7 a.m. window.