After L.A. Fires, Edison Wants to Bury Power Lines in Altadena and Malibu

Source: The New York Times |  By Shawn Huber and Ivan Penn

Southern California Edison, the electric utility whose equipment has been the focus of investigations into the deadly Eaton fire in Los Angeles County in January, said on Friday that it planned to bury more than 150 miles of power lines in fire-prone areas near Altadena and Malibu, Calif. In a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, company officials estimated the cost of the project at more than $650 million. Moving power lines underground is a highly expensive undertaking for utilities and customers, who often must share parts of the cost of installation and who typically end up with higher rates. Consumer advocates have urged utilities to explore other options, like covered wires.

Mark Toney, the executive director of the Utility Reform Network, which represents consumers before the California Public Utilities Commission, the utility regulator, said burying power lines underground could cost $3 million to $4 million a mile. “Everybody knows that we’ve got to rebuild the grid when it burned down the way that it did,” Mr. Toney said. “We think it’s important to look for ways to get things done the most cost-effective way possible.”