Electricity: expedited utility distribution infrastructure undergrounding program.
- Establishes an expedited program for large electrical utilities to move power lines underground in high fire-risk areas.
- Requires utilities to submit 10-year undergrounding plans with cost targets and completion timelines.
- Mandates independent monitoring with biannual progress reports and annual compliance assessments.
- Requires utilities to seek federal and state funding to reduce costs passed on to ratepayers.
Assembly Member Essayli's proposal to modify California's utility infrastructure undergrounding program exempts approved distribution infrastructure undergrounding plans from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review requirements, while maintaining environmental review obligations for specific project implementations that would physically alter the environment.
The bill preserves the existing framework requiring large electrical corporations to submit comprehensive 10-year undergrounding plans to the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety. These plans must detail project prioritization based on wildfire risk reduction, public safety, cost efficiency, and reliability benefits, with eligible projects limited to tier 2 or 3 high fire-threat districts or rebuild areas. The plans must include completion timelines, cost targets, workforce development strategies, and comparative analyses of undergrounding versus alternative mitigation approaches.
Under current law, the Office must review submitted plans within nine months, publishing them for public comment and evaluating whether they will reduce wildfire risks and increase electrical reliability by limiting public safety power shutoffs and other outage events. Upon Office approval, corporations must submit applications to the Public Utilities Commission within 60 days for cost review. The Commission facilitates public workshops, accepts comments for 30 days, and must issue decisions within nine months. Corporations must file biannual progress reports, incorporate updates in annual wildfire mitigation plans, and retain independent monitors who assess compliance and submit annual reports to the Office.
The legislation maintains requirements for participating corporations to pursue federal, state and other external funding to offset ratepayer costs. While exempting the plan approval process from CEQA review, the bill specifies that individual projects still require environmental review before receiving authorization for physical changes to the environment.
 James GallagherR Assemblymember | Bill Author |  Not Contacted | |
 Jacqui IrwinD Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
 Ash KalraD Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
 Phillip ChenR Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
 Heath FloraR Assemblymember | Bill Author | Not Contacted |
Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.
Introduced By
- Establishes an expedited program for large electrical utilities to move power lines underground in high fire-risk areas.
- Requires utilities to submit 10-year undergrounding plans with cost targets and completion timelines.
- Mandates independent monitoring with biannual progress reports and annual compliance assessments.
- Requires utilities to seek federal and state funding to reduce costs passed on to ratepayers.
Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.
Introduced By
Assembly Member Essayli's proposal to modify California's utility infrastructure undergrounding program exempts approved distribution infrastructure undergrounding plans from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review requirements, while maintaining environmental review obligations for specific project implementations that would physically alter the environment.
The bill preserves the existing framework requiring large electrical corporations to submit comprehensive 10-year undergrounding plans to the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety. These plans must detail project prioritization based on wildfire risk reduction, public safety, cost efficiency, and reliability benefits, with eligible projects limited to tier 2 or 3 high fire-threat districts or rebuild areas. The plans must include completion timelines, cost targets, workforce development strategies, and comparative analyses of undergrounding versus alternative mitigation approaches.
Under current law, the Office must review submitted plans within nine months, publishing them for public comment and evaluating whether they will reduce wildfire risks and increase electrical reliability by limiting public safety power shutoffs and other outage events. Upon Office approval, corporations must submit applications to the Public Utilities Commission within 60 days for cost review. The Commission facilitates public workshops, accepts comments for 30 days, and must issue decisions within nine months. Corporations must file biannual progress reports, incorporate updates in annual wildfire mitigation plans, and retain independent monitors who assess compliance and submit annual reports to the Office.
The legislation maintains requirements for participating corporations to pursue federal, state and other external funding to offset ratepayer costs. While exempting the plan approval process from CEQA review, the bill specifies that individual projects still require environmental review before receiving authorization for physical changes to the environment.
James GallagherR Assemblymember | Bill Author | Not Contacted | |
Jacqui IrwinD Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
Ash KalraD Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
Phillip ChenR Assemblymember | Committee Member | Not Contacted | |
Heath FloraR Assemblymember | Bill Author | Not Contacted |