SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A Southern California utility wants to spend $582 million to cover some power lines and deploy cameras in areas at high risk for wildfires.
Southern California Edison shared its plans Monday with legislative employees. It comes as the utility is dealing with cleanup and repairs following the Woolsey Fire that tore through Los Angeles and Ventura counties in November.
The cause of that fire remains under investigation. The utility reported to the Public Utilities Commission on Thursday it's investigating whether an outage just before the fire sparked may have been caused by two wires making contact.
Many other utilities already insulate or cover power lines to minimize risks. Southern California Edison officials estimate its new mitigation plans will add an extra $1.20 to the average monthly bill.