Southern California Edison Provides Rebuilding Plan for Electric Distribution in Altadena and Malibu

Southern California Edison (SCE) has provided an initial comprehensive plan to rebuild the impacted electrical distribution infrastructure in the Altadena and Malibu areas affected by the January wildfires. The plan focuses on increasing reliability and long-term resilience, including the undergrounding of new distribution equipment.

SCE’s preliminary plan would underground 153 circuit miles: 130 circuit miles, which includes nearly all distribution power lines in High Fire Risk Areas (HFRA) within the burn scars of the affected communities – plus 23 circuit miles in areas of Altadena not in HFRA. An additional 19 circuit miles in Altadena are being evaluated.

SCE laid out a detailed plan in a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom, summarizing work and areas for collaboration with local, state and federal government; nonprofit and technology partners; and community members. The cost of the rebuild is estimated at $860 million to $925 million. SCE will work to find efficiencies and seek funds from various entities to make the plan a reality.

“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,” said Pedro J. Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International, SCE’s parent company. “SCE’s rebuilding plan will underground electrical distribution infrastructure where feasible and make the most of breakthrough technologies to reduce wildfire risk.”

“SCE will build back a resilient, reliable grid for our customers,” said Steven Powell, president and CEO of SCE. “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.”

Edison International has acknowledged the possibility of SCE’s equipment being involved in the cause of the Eaton Fire. The investigation is ongoing, and the company remains committed to transparency with the public.

Information was sourced from Businesswire. To learn more, contact [email protected].