As record-breaking drought fuels another potentially dangerous wildfire season, the state auditor reported today that state officials are failing to hold California’s electric utilities accountable for preventing fires caused by their equipment.
Since 2015, power lines have caused six of California’s 20 most-destructive wildfires, according to the report.Uninsulated lines and older transformers and other equipment are dangerous during high winds, when falling trees or flying debris can strike them and spark flames. PG&E spokesperson Lynsey Paulo said the company was still reviewing the audit report but said its latest wildfire mitigation plan significantly accelerates “the undergrounding of powerlines in high fire-risk areas in 2020 and beyond.”
“Given the nightmarish wildfires that have become part of normal life in recent years, California taxpayers would be right to ask if they’re paying for utility watchdogs or lap dogs at the CPUC,” said Ken Cook, president of the Environmental Working Group, an environmental research advocacy organization that tracks wildfire issues.
In a letter accompanying the report, Acting State Auditor Michael S. Tilden raised concerns about the increasing numbers of so-called public safety power shutoffs, when companies cut power during times of high fire risk. Tilden noted that between 2013 through 2021, the state’s largest utilities shut off power to more than 3.6 million customers during 67 power curtailments. There were some 600 unplanned power outages in 2020 alone, the report said.