Power from SCE
Electrician in Redlands: South Redlands shutoffs and backup power
SCE cut power across South Redlands from January 8, 2025, so backup power is a real question here. The city also has designated historic properties where a new meter panel can need design approval.
Electric utility
SCE
Southern California Edison (SCE); gas is The Gas Company; water and sewer are city-run
Serves all of Redlands. Utility site
Permit office
City of Redlands One Stop Permit Center and Building & Safety Division (Development Services)
(909) 798-7551 (One Stop); Building & Safety (909) 798-7536; Inspection Office (909) 798-7597 · Permit page · Online portal
Permit fees in Redlands
City of Redlands One Stop Permit Center and Building & Safety Division (Development Services)
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Electrical permit issuance Fees shown flat across the three-year phase. | $74 |
| Electrical services, 600 volts or less, up to 1,000 amperes (each) | $220 |
| Installation or relocation of panelboard (each) | $220 |
| Residential appliances or receptacle outlets (each) The schedule has no EV charger line; first 20 receptacle outlets and first 20 lighting fixtures are $220 each, additional 20 outlets $73. | $220 |
| Stand-alone electrical plan check (each) | $147 |
Taken from the city's fee page. Fees change, and other charges such as plan check can apply. Confirm at the permit counter. Compare permit fees across cities.
Turnaround. The city lists electrical panel upgrades among the over-the-counter permit types that may be applied for in the online public portal, with payment made in person before issuance. No day count is published.
EV charger permits. Redlands posts a 'Checklist for Expedited Review of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations' (residential and non-residential) as a supplement to the building permit application. It says that when the checklist is deemed complete a permit shall be issued, which is the AB 1236 rule. Same checklist is on the Building & Safety forms list. AB 1236 (Gov. Code 65850.7) requires every city to run an expedited, administrative review for EV charger permits and publish a checklist, and AB 970 (Gov. Code 65850.71) adds review timelines (GO-Biz).
Inspections. Request Building & Safety inspections online through the city's Veribook form, or call the Inspection Office at (909) 798-7597 at least one full working day before the work. The One Stop Permit Center is open Monday to Thursday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on non-closed Fridays.
Rebates listed for Redlands
From SCE and the city
| Program | Amount |
|---|---|
 SCE Charge Ready Home SCE residential customers who are income-qualified or on a qualifying assistance program or live in a disadvantaged community; licensed contractor required; SCE takes applications while you plan, during the work or up to six months after | Up to $4,200 toward a panel upgrade to 200 amps plus a dedicated 240 volt circuit for income-qualified households whose main panel is under 200 amps; if the panel is already 200 amps or more, the outlet-only rebate is up to $1,000; check the current SCE terms. Does not pay for the charger. |
Amounts as listed by each program, October 2026. Programs have limits and rules.
$2,500 to $4,500
A regional range from the sources on the cost page. Your electrician gives the actual quote after a look.
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What happened in January 2025
SCE began shutting off power across South Redlands on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, with pockets of North Redlands also off. Outages continued through Friday, January 10, during Red Flag Warnings. A local news site reported that council members told SCE its outage maps were inaccurate during the event. On February 18, 2025, SCE briefed the City Council, and residents pressed the question of undergrounding lines.
A shutoff lasts for the whole wind event plus SCE’s inspection time before power returns. If you want to ride one out, compare the generator interlock kit with the home battery, and read generator vs battery backup.
The One Stop counter
The One Stop Permit Center is at 35 Cajon Street, Suite 15A, and Building & Safety is in Suite 20. Inspections are requested through the city’s Veribook form, or by calling (909) 798-7597 at least one full working day ahead.
The flat fee schedule treats a service and a panelboard installation as the same kind of line, so a bigger service does not cost more at the counter up to 1,000 amps. The schedule has no EV charger line, and the posted schedule shows conflicting resolution numbers, so treat any dollar figure as a starting point. Costs beyond the permit are on the panel upgrade cost page.
Older homes and the historic review
Four in ten Redlands homes (40 percent) predate 1970 and 13 percent predate 1950, even though the median year is 1976. The oldest houses are where fuse panels and cloth-covered wiring turn up. A Historic and Scenic Preservation Commission handles the Certificate of Appropriateness for designated properties. Older panels, including some that need attention on the Zinsco and Federal Pacific page, are worth a look before adding an EV.
For the city’s charger path, the posted expedited checklist is a supplement to the building permit. See AB 1236 permit rules.
Rebate and rate
Charge Ready Home pays toward a panel upgrade and a 240 volt circuit for SCE customers who are income-qualified or in a disadvantaged community. It needs a licensed contractor, an application (SCE takes them while you plan, during the work or up to six months after), and it does not pay for the charger. Terms change. See the Charge Ready Home guide.
SCE’s TOU-D-PRIME has a 4 to 9 p.m. peak every day and suits homes with an EV, battery or heat pump. The city’s utilities department handles water, not electricity, so every power question goes to SCE. Colton shares the utility but has its own permit counter.
What the homes in Redlands look like
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey; QuickFacts for Redlands. Climate zone 10.
Working with SCE on a service change
SCE sets and reconnects the meter. Its published targets cover only SCE steps, and city review time is extra. How the steps fit together.
The City of Redlands Utilities page lists electric as Southern California Edison and gas as The Gas Company of Southern California. Redlands has its own Municipal Utilities and Engineering Department, but it handles water and wastewater, not electricity, so there is no city electric utility.
Backup power for shutoff days
Shutoffs and fire weather in Redlands
Shutoff record: Power was cut in a past event
Redlands has lived through the shutoff program.
Redlands specifics
- This is a recent, specific local reason for battery and generator-inlet questions. Source
- The city's brochure says call Planning at (909) 798-7555 ext. 1 first to find out whether a certificate is needed. Source
- Redlands lists electrical panel upgrades among over-the-counter permits that can be applied for in the online public portal (payment in person before issuance, three hard copy plan sets when plans are required). Posts a 'Checklist for Expedited Review of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations' with the language that a permit shall be issued when the checklist is complete. Source
- The city's flat electrical fees (Resolution 8522 exhibit, December 5, 2023) put a service up to 1,000 amps at $220 and a panelboard installation or relocation at $220, with a $74 issuance fee. A Technology Fee surcharge of 2 percent. A Redlands service of up to 1,000 amps costs the same as a service of 200 amps, so there is no price break for a smaller service. Source
Common electrical jobs in Redlands
Other cities close by
Questions about electrical work in Redlands
Can I get a backup battery or generator inlet in Redlands after the January 2025 shutoffs?
Yes, and many owners ask. SCE shut off power across South Redlands starting January 8, 2025, with pockets of North Redlands off, and outages ran through January 10. A battery or inlet needs panel space and a permit. Start with a load calculation so the electrician knows what you can back up.
Does my historic Redlands house need approval to change its meter panel or add solar?
It may. Redlands requires a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior changes to designated historic properties and buildings in historic districts. A new meter panel or solar conduit can count. The city's brochure says to call Planning at (909) 798-7555 ext. 1 first to find out whether you need one.
Does a bigger service cost more at the Redlands counter?
Not up to 1,000 amps, going by the posted schedule: the service or panelboard is one flat line, with an issuance fee and a small technology surcharge on top. That schedule is from December 2023 and carries conflicting resolution numbers, so confirm the current amounts with the One Stop Permit Center at (909) 798-7551.
Can I apply for a panel upgrade permit online in Redlands?
Yes, you can start it online. The city lists electrical panel upgrades among over-the-counter permits that can be applied for in its public portal. Payment is made in person before the permit is issued, and plans need three hard copy sets when they are required. No day count is published.
Is my Redlands house's old wiring a problem if I add an EV charger?
It can be. The city's expedited EV checklist requires a load calculation, and a permit shall be issued when the checklist is complete. In a house with a small service or fuse panel, the calculation may show an upgrade is needed first. The electrician looks at the panel and the wiring that feeds it.
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