Following the deadly Eaton fire near Southern California Edison transmission towers, the utility company quietly revised its internal policy on grounding idle electrical pylons. The change, made weeks after the fire, initially went unnoticed as early suspicions focused on active transmission towers in Eaton Canyon. However, recent attention has shifted to a third, idle tower that had been unused for over 50 years.
Despite growing interest, Southern California Edison and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) have not disclosed the specifics of the policy change or the reasons behind it. The CPUC denied a public records request from the Los Angeles Times, citing unavailable documents, which contradicts the California Public Records Act’s requirement for timely responses. Former CPUC president Loretta Lynch criticized the lack of transparency, suggesting that utilities often use the commission to keep documents confidential.
Edison spokesperson David Eisenhauer stated the policy change aimed to clarify grounding procedures for idle structures. Grounding is crucial for safely dissipating energy from lightning strikes and voltage surges. Meanwhile, Edison faces multiple lawsuits alleging its equipment caused the fire, which burned over 14,000 acres and resulted in 17 deaths.
Los Angeles County has filed a lawsuit against Edison to recover costs from the fire, which devastated the Altadena community. Investigations continue, with Edison conducting inspections and testing of its equipment in collaboration with local authorities and stakeholders. The full investigation is expected to take several months to complete.
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