During last year’s unprecedented firestorms and related Public Safety Power Shutoffs, Jurupa Unified was able to keep students in school and learning with the help of rented large-scale generators strong enough to power an entire campus.
With several JUSD schools in high or very high fire danger areas, we know another Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) event could happen anytime, and we want to be ready. A new partnership with Southern California Edison will help us prepare.
JUSD is one of only a few school districts in the region to receive a temporary on-site generator, which will automatically kick in if the power goes out. This generator, available to the district for the next five months, is housed at Peralta Elementary School, one of the campuses most often affected by PSPS events.
“The partnership between Southern California Edison and Jurupa Unified School District allows us to use the school site as a hub of resilience, ensuring our critical service of educating the community’s children can continue, powered by a backup power generator, even during a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) event,” noted Dana Toland, JUSD Director of Maintenance and Operations.
The SCE generator augments two additional generators purchased by JUSD last year to have on hand in the event of large-scale power outages, such as those we saw last school year. The $364,362.34 cost for the generators was paid for with Special Reserve Funding for Capital Projects, which are funds that can only be used for capital facility needs.
Ensuring schools are open for students is important, not only to maintain learning, but also because many families rely on school for multiple services, resources, and meals.
“For our community, ‘keeping the lights on’ means much more than simply maintaining learning continuity; it demonstrates our dedication to the community,” said Assistant Superintendent of Business Services Paula Ford. “Our schools are essential hubs where families rely on us for consistent access to nutrition, resources, and a safe environment–it is how we serve the whole child.
For more information about our partnership with SCE and tips for staying safe around generators and preparing for a PSPS event, please click here.
