By Selena Sanchez
On January 17, 2025, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) issued Resolution (SPD-29) relating to the approval of Southern California Edison Company’s (SoCal Edison) 2025 Wildfire Mitigation Plan (WMP). Edison’s 2025 WMP provides the company’s progress over the past year and its 2024 and 2025 projections. Further, the WMP responds to additional requirements and metrics approved by the CPUC in Resolutions SPD-26 and SPD-27 and guidelines adopted by the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety (OEIS). As a result of the Eaton Fire and other Los Angeles fires in early 2025, the CPUC recently clarified the state’s wildfire mitigation and prevention efforts.
Under the Public Utilities Code section 8386(b), electrical corporations must annually prepare and submit a WMP to OEIS for review and approval.[1] Pursuant to Public Utilities Code section 8386.3(a), after OEIS approval of the energy company’s 2025 WMP, the CPUC shall ratify the action of OEIS. Additionally, OEIS may allow the annual submissions to be updated to the last approved comprehensive wildfire mitigation plan. In 2024, each electrical corporation was required to provide a WMP update to its approved 2023–2025 Base WMP.
According to the CPUC in its recent Resolution:
Mitigation of catastrophic wildfires in California is among the most important safety challenges the Commission-regulated electrical corporations face. Comprehensive WMPs are essential to safety because the WMPs articulate an electrical corporation’s understanding of its utility-related wildfire risk and the proposed actions to reduce that risk and prevent catastrophic wildfires caused by utility infrastructure and equipment.
Utility-related catastrophic wildfire risk should be reduced over time by implementing measures such as vegetation management, system hardening (such as undergrounding power lines, covering conductors on overhead lines, removing or upgrading equipment most likely to cause fire ignition), making grid topology improvements (such as installation and operation of electrical equipment to sectionalize or island portions of the grid), improving asset inspection and maintenance, increasing situational awareness (such as cameras, weather stations, and use of data to predict areas of highest fire threat), improving community engagement and awareness, and other measures.
Although the CPUC seeks to approve SoCal Edison’s most recent 2025 WMP, it stated that such action may not be used as a defense against any potential liability for noncompliance. On April 2, 2024, SoCal Edison filed its Base 2025 WMP with OEIS in compliance with the new California laws and regulations from 2016–2019. SoCal Edison subsequently updated its 2025-based WMP and submitted it to OEIS. In October 2024, OEIS reviewed SoCal Edison’s 2025 Updated WMP and sent its findings to the CPUC for final approval. At that time, OEIS, the Wildfire Safety Division, and the CPUC did not find any apparent noncompliance and, therefore, unanimously approved SoCal Edison’s Updated 2025 WMP.
On January 7, 2025, while pending SoCal Edison’s WMP compliance review and final approval from its November 2024 updated version, the Eaton Fire broke out in Los Angeles County, causing the deaths of 17 people and the partial or complete loss of nearly 10,000 homes and businesses. Following initial investigations into the potential causes, SoCal Edison allegedly caused the sparks to ignite the Eaton Fire when video of its power lines showed flashes and sparks near the ignition site moments before the Eaton spread to over 14,000 acres.
SoCal Edison now faces major lawsuits claiming the electrical company ought to be liable for the damage caused by its negligence in maintaining and inspecting its electrical lines. SoCal Edison–which provides gas and electrical services to nearly 15 million residents across Southern California—is one of the three major gas and electric companies within the State, alongside San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) and Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (PG&E). SoCal Edison delivers power and energy to millions of residences and businesses across 11 counties, including Los Angeles County, Riverside County, Tulare County, Orange County, and Ventura County. The cost of damages from the Eaton Fire is estimated at $7 billion.
The CPUC, OEIS, SoCal Edison, and other private utility companies are now trying to address and fill any potential gaps in WMP guidelines to combat the risk of wildfires across California. The CPUC and OEIS met on February 20th and 21st to discuss, hear public comment, and vote on matters concerning WMPs, SoCal Edison’s 2025 Updated WMP proposal, and other private company WMP proposals for ‘25–’28, as well as the adoption of new guidelines for ‘26–’28 Wildfire safety and WMPs. Members of the public are highly encouraged to attend these meetings, especially any residents impacted by the LA Wildfires or who want to know more about California’s wildfire prevention efforts. Additionally, members of the public may submit written comments prior to the meetings and are encouraged to do so as soon as possible to give time for response. Utility noncompliance, negligence, and mismanagement of privately owned electrical companies are significantly mitigated through the CPUC efforts to address the gaps in wildfire safety, mitigation, and prevention.
[1] AB 1054 (Holden) (Chapter 79, Statutes of 2019) requires OEIS to review and approve or deny electrical corporations’ WMPs, with Commission ratification of any approval to follow thereafter. OEIS oversees electrical corporations’ compliance with the WMP. If OEIS determines an electrical corporation is not in compliance with its approved WMP, it may recommend that the Commission pursue an enforcement action against the electrical corporation for noncompliance with its approved plan. The Commission may assess penalties on electrical corporations if they fail to substantially comply with their plans.