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Southern California Edison (SCE) announced Friday it will underground more than 150 miles of distribution lines as it rebuilds its infrastructure in the Eaton and Palisades fire areas.
The utility company has been targeted by lawsuits alleging its power lines sparked the Eaton Fire. They have acknowledged its equipment may have been involved as investigations into the cause of the Eaton Fire continue.
SCE said its planning to underground 130 miles of distribution lines in areas that have a high fire risk. The other 23 miles will be outside of high risk areas in Altadena. There’s another 19 miles of lines in the Altadena area being evaluated for potential undergrounding.
"Just three months have passed since the devastating wildfires, and all of us at Edison continue to keep those affected in our thoughts. We're working closely with state and county leaders and the communities of Altadena and Malibu to rebuild wildfire-impacted areas stronger than ever," Pedro J. Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International, said in a statement. "SCE's rebuilding plan will underground electrical distribution infrastructure where feasible and make the most of breakthrough technologies to reduce wildfire risk."
Critics say undergrounding power equipment is safer, but it is an expensive process. The rebuilding plan for the fire area is estimated to cost between $860 million to $925 million, according to SCE. The utility company outlined its rebuilding plans to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
"Governor Newsom's leadership during this tragedy has been instrumental, contributing to an environment where SCE could design and permit projects in a matter of weeks instead of what would usually take years," Pizarro said.
The rebuilding plan also includes upgraded infrastructure to increase reliability, according to SCE.
"SCE will build back a resilient, reliable grid for our customers," Steven Powell, president and CEO of SCE, said in a statement. "We are increasing electrical capacity in fire-impacted communities and exploring advanced technologies, such as battery backup for critical care customers and smart panels, to better serve our customers. We will continue to engage community members to make sure their views remain a critical part of the rebuild. I am proud to work alongside SCE colleagues as we support our communities and build a resilient, clean and affordable energy future."
