Climate Adaptation
California Utilities Plan $15 Billion for Fire Safety Work
- Utilities plan grid hardening, tree trimming, inspections
- California suffered a record wildfire season last year
A hillside burns during the Glass Fire in Napa County, California, in September 2020.
Photographer: Philip Pacheco/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
California utilities said they plan to spend $15 billion over the next two years to reduce the risk of their live wires sparking blazes after an historic wildfire season.
PG&E Corp., Edison International’s Southern California Edison and Sempra Energy’s San Diego Gas & Electric detailed in filings with state regulators on Friday how they will continue to fire-proof their grids. They said they’re refining their safety work and using new tools such as artificial intelligence software to focus on circuits that are most at risk of igniting a large fire.