California regulators order Edison to look for fire risks on its old transmission lines

"State regulators ordered Southern California Edison to identify fire risks on its unused transmission lines like the century-old equipment suspected of igniting the devastating Eaton wildfire. Edison also must tell regulators how its 355 miles of out-of-service transmission lines located in areas of high fire risk will be used in the future, according to a document issued by the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety on Dec. 23. State regulations require utilities to remove abandoned lines so they don't become a public hazard."

"Edison also must tell regulators how its 355 miles of out-of-service transmission lines located in areas of high fire risk will be used in the future, according to a document issued by the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety on Dec. 23. State regulations require utilities to remove abandoned lines so they don't become a public hazard. Edison executives said they did not remove the Eaton Canyon line because they believed it would be used in the future. It last carried power in 1971."

"Scott Johnson, an Edison spokesman, said Monday that the company already had been reviewing idle lines and planned to respond to the regulators' requests. He said Edison often keeps idle lines in place "to support long-term system needs, such as future electrification, backup capacity or regional growth." "If idle lines are identified to have no future use, they are removed," he said."

State regulators ordered Southern California Edison to identify fire risks on 355 miles of out-of-service transmission lines in high fire-risk areas. The equipment includes century-old lines suspected of igniting the Eaton wildfire that killed 19 people. Edison must report future use of idle lines and create a plan to decrease fire risk, potentially removing equipment. State regulations require removal of abandoned lines that pose public hazards. The Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety will require other California utilities to assess their dormant transmission lines. Edison says it retains some idle lines for future system needs and removes those without future use.

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