A significant power outage affected western Goleta, California, on Monday, September 21, 2026, leaving approximately 4,350 Southern California Edison customers without electricity.

According to reporting from Noozhawk, the outage began at approximately 9:25 a.m. local time. Southern California Edison was working to determine what caused the interruption, with utility crews patrolling the affected area as they searched for the source of the problem.

The outage affected customers in western Goleta and prompted residents and businesses to monitor the situation while restoration work was underway. At approximately 10:20 a.m., SCE spokesperson David Eisenhauer said the cause remained unknown and that crews were actively looking for the source.

Power Outage Reported Across Western Goleta

The interruption represented one of the larger reported outages in the Goleta area, affecting thousands of SCE customers simultaneously.

At the time of the initial report, SCE’s outage information indicated that electricity could return to most affected customers at approximately 12:20 p.m. However, restoration estimates can change depending on the condition of the electrical equipment and the work required to safely restore service.

There was no confirmed information establishing that the outage was caused by a major transmission failure, substation explosion, equipment fire or other specific infrastructure problem. Officials were still investigating the cause.

Southern California Edison Crews Respond

Southern California Edison, the utility serving the affected area, dispatched crews to investigate the outage and identify the source of the electrical interruption.

SCE maintains outage information and reliability reporting for Goleta and other communities throughout Santa Barbara County.

Residents experiencing an outage are encouraged to use SCE’s official outage information rather than relying on unverified reports circulating online. The California Public Utilities Commission also directs customers to utility outage maps for current electricity-service information.

Traffic and Safety During a Power Outage

Power outages can affect traffic signals and other electrically powered infrastructure. Drivers approaching an intersection where traffic signals are not operating should slow down and proceed cautiously.

Residents should also exercise caution when using generators, candles or other temporary sources of electricity. Generators should never be operated inside homes, garages or other enclosed spaces because of the risk of carbon-monoxide poisoning.

People who rely on electricity for essential medical equipment should have an emergency backup plan and contact their utility provider about available assistance programs.

Restoration Efforts Continue

The restoration process depends on identifying the cause of the outage and completing any necessary repairs. Because the cause was still under investigation at the time of the initial report, a final explanation for the interruption was not immediately available.

Residents and businesses in Goleta should continue checking official Southern California Edison outage information for updated restoration estimates and service-status changes.

As crews investigate and repair the affected electrical system, additional information may become available regarding the cause of the outage and whether further interruptions are expected.

For the latest information, customers should rely on official SCE outage updates and local emergency communications rather than unverified dispatch timelines or social-media claims.