Temporary power for
fire rebuilds

Why a burned lot needs temporary power

When a home burns, the service drop, meter and main panel usually go with it. Until the new house has its permanent service, there is no power on site for saws, compressors or a job trailer. A temporary power pole gives your crews a metered 100A or 200A panel from the start of the rebuild until the new service is energized.

Which utility serves your lot

• Pacific Palisades and the City of Los Angeles: Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP).
• Altadena, Malibu and nearby unincorporated LA County: Southern California Edison (SCE).
• Pasadena: Pasadena Water and Power.

The utility planner decides where the temporary pole goes. We submit the temporary service request for you and install where the utility approves.

Restoring SCE service in Altadena and Malibu

If your lot is in Altadena or Malibu, Southern California Edison (SCE) serves it. SCE has a disaster recovery page that explains how power is restored to a fire-affected property: For local details, see our Altadena and Malibu temporary power pages.

• Temporary service: apply for temporary electric service so construction can start. GDV Utilities installs the temporary power pole and submits this request for you.
• Permanent service: prepare and apply for permanent service through SCE’s Building, Renovation and Project Planning Portal.
• Rebuild and connect: once the home is built and inspected, SCE connects permanent service and we remove the temporary pole.

SCE’s Disaster Hotline is 1-800-250-7339. Lots in Pacific Palisades are served by LADWP; see Pacific Palisades below.

Restoring LADWP service in Pacific Palisades

If your lot is in Pacific Palisades, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) serves it. See our Pacific Palisades temporary power page for how we handle permits and LADWP service there. LADWP has a restoration and rebuilding page for Palisades fire customers that covers its power restoration work in the area, rebuilding and permitting support, account updates and incentives for all-electric rebuilds.

For temporary power on your lot, GDV Utilities pulls the electrical permit with LADBS, submits the temporary service request to LADWP and installs the pole where LADWP approves.

Rebuilding in the City of Pasadena

Inside Pasadena city limits, Pasadena Water and Power (PWP) provides electric service and rebuild permits go through the City of Pasadena. The City has two pages for Eaton fire rebuilds:

For rebuild questions, the City’s Building & Safety Division is at (626) 744-4200 or BuildingRecovery@CityOfPasadena.net. For temporary power, GDV Utilities pulls the electrical permit with the City and submits the temporary service request to PWP. See our Pasadena temporary power page.

Other recent fires we serve

We install temporary power for rebuilds and repairs after other recent fires in our service area:

• Mountain Fire (November 2024), Ventura County: destroyed 243 structures, including dozens of homes in Camarillo Heights near Somis. These areas are unincorporated, so Ventura County issues the permit and SCE provides temporary service. See Camarillo temporary power.
• Norte Fire (October 2026), Orange County: burned homes in San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano. South Orange County is served by SDG&E. See San Clemente temporary power.
• Bryson Fire (October 2026), Malibu: burned in the Malibu area during the first Santa Ana wind event of the season. See Malibu temporary power.
• Hawk Fire (August 2026), Reno: the most destructive wildfire in Nevada history, with 48 structures destroyed in north Reno. NV Energy serves the area. See Reno temporary power. GDV Utilities holds Nevada license C-2 #0093534.

Wildfire alerts and power shutoffs

While you rebuild, these tools help you keep track of new fires and planned power shutoffs near your lot:

• Watch Duty ↗: a free real-time wildfire map and alert app, widely used during the 2025 LA fires.
• SCE Public Safety Power Shutoffs ↗: how and when SCE turns off power in high fire risk weather, and how to get notified.
• SCE outage map ↗: current outages and estimated restoration times in SCE territory.
• Ready.gov: Wildfires ↗: FEMA’s guide to preparing for a wildfire, evacuating safely and returning home, plus how to build an emergency kit and family plan.

Verify any contractor before you hire

After a disaster, unlicensed contractors target fire survivors. Before you sign anything, look up the contractor’s license with the state, including ours:

In California, state law also limits a home improvement down payment to $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less.

How it works on a rebuild

1. Send the lotThe address and a photo of the whole lot showing the nearest utility pole, plus your builder's contact if you have one.
2. PermitOnce the job is signed, we pull the electrical permit with LADBS or LA County. Permit fees are priced separately.
3. Utility requestWe submit the temporary service request to LADWP, SCE or Pasadena Water and Power.
4. Installation3 to 5 business days after the permit is issued and the utility approves the location.
5. Inspection and powerWe coordinate the inspection. The utility sets the meter and energizes on its own schedule.
6. RemovalWhen your permanent service is on, we remove the pole. We can quote a rental or a purchase option for your temporary power pole, so you can choose what fits the length of your project.

For builders with several rebuilds

Many builders are working several fire rebuilds at once. We quote multiple lots together, give repeat builders priority scheduling, and offer volume pricing and net terms for approved accounts. See our temporary power pole service.