Legislation authored by Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena) to remove dangerous abandoned or decommissioned powerline like the one suspected of igniting the Eaton Fire passed the Senate Energy Committee last week.
SB 742 would require the removal of permanently abandoned lines and improve emergency response and public safety through stronger communication between the investor-owned utilities (IOUs) and local jurisdictions.
“We will not give up on this issue. SB 742 is our continuing effort to prevent more deadly disasters like the Eaton Fire,” said Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena). “Investor-owned utility companies have failed to responsibly address abandoned lines, leaving them as potential safety threats in communities all over California.”
The Eaton Fire ignited on January 7, 2025, in Eaton Canyon. The fire took the lives of 19 people as it burned 14,021 acres and destroyed more than 9,000 structures.
Specifically, SB 742 strengthens California’s wildfire mitigation by updating California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) General Order 95 and requiring the removal of permanently abandoned lines. In December, state regulators ordered Edison to assess the fire risks on 355 miles of unused transmission lines. This directive followed Edison executives informing the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety they had no plans to remove any out-of-service lines between now and 2028.
SB 742 passed the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee with bipartisan support.
“The Eaton Fire devastated Altadena and we are only beginning to rebuild one year later,” said Senator Pérez. “We know there can be significant risks posed by abandoned powerlines throughout California. We owe it to our communities to ensure these deadly fire disasters don’t happen again.”
SB 742 will be heard next in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
