Next round of inspections in Eaton Fire expected next week, Edison Intl CEO

By Laila Kearney

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Southern California Edison will begin its first close-up physical inspections of certain power equipment under investigation for possible links to the start of the Eaton Fire in Los Angeles early this year, Edison International CEO Pedro Pizarro told Reuters at the CERAWeek conference in Houston on Thursday.

Several fires broke out across Los Angeles on Jan. 7, claiming dozens of lives and destroying thousands of homes in what is expected to be the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history.

While no official cause for the major fires has been released, multiple lawsuits have claimed SCE power lines and towers in the hills about the community of Altadena started one of the blazes -- the Eaton Fire. Among those suing SCE are Los Angeles County and the City of Pasadena.

SCE, which delivers power to about 15 million people as the largest electric utility in Southern California, will send workers up the Altadena-area towers starting on Monday. Other inspections, including with drones, will also be deployed.

Government investigators, attorneys for fire victims and SCE are separately, but in parallel, investigating the cause of the Eaton Fire.

The official cause of the blaze, and whether negligence was involved, is expected to determine what - if any - financial consequences SCE will face.

Edison International has said that a California-established Wildfire Fund will protect its balance sheet, which Pizarro reiterated on Thursday.

(Reporting by Laila Kearney; Editing by David Gregorio)