The Los Angeles Times story, “Edison customers are paying more for fire prevention. So why are there more fires?“ omits important information and mischaracterizes the facts to paint an incorrect picture of SCE’s wildfire mitigation efforts and AB 1054.
The Los Angeles Times cites data submitted by SCE to the Office of Energy Infrastructure for any ignition larger than one meter in size, the vast majority of which never result in a catastrophic wildfire. In the article, they note an increase in ignitions in 2024 and then try to make a point that SCE wildfire mitigation spending is not effective.
Importantly:
- The volume of these ignitions fluctuates from year to year, mostly due to weather conditions.
- Of the 2024 ignitions cited by the Los Angeles Times, 82% were less than 0.25 acre.
- Since 2018, in high fire risk areas where we have installed covered conductor, there have been no ignitions from the risks covered conductor is designed to mitigate.
As part of the AB 1054 framework, regulators hold utilities accountable for wildfires caused by their infrastructure. As part of SCE’s rigorous Wildfire Mitigation Plan, the safety certification process requires approval and for us to meet specific requirements, file regular reports and meet compliance obligations.
The origin of the Eaton Fire has not yet been determined, and it is premature to speculate about potential liabilities.
AB 1054 created more safety oversight, not less; codified prudency standards into law; created the $21 billion Wildfire Insurance Fund to reimburse IOUs for claims payments; and capped utility exposure to reimburse the fund if found imprudent.
The state wildfire fund allows settlements to be paid quickly while protecting utility balance sheets, which is an important factor in managing costs to customers.
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