SCE Unveils $925 Million Rebuild Plan for Altadena, Malibu Following January Wildfires

Southern California Edison announced a comprehensive $860-925 million plan Friday to rebuild electrical infrastructure in Altadena and Malibu communities devastated by January’s wildfires and windstorms, with a major focus on undergrounding power lines to prevent future disasters.

The initiative, detailed in a letter from Southern California Edison President and Chief Executive Officer Pedro J. Pizarro to California Governor Gavin Newsom, prioritizes converting overhead power lines to underground infrastructure across 153 circuit miles, with 63 miles planned for Altadena alone.

“We are operating with heightened urgency to build back stronger,” Pizarro wrote in the April 11 letter. “SCE began developing the rebuilding plan in mid-January, including undergrounding electrical distribution infrastructure and deploying new technologies to make Altadena and Malibu model communities for a resilient, clean and affordable energy future.”

In Altadena, SCE plans to underground approximately 40 circuit miles in High Fire Risk Areas (HFRA), with two miles already under construction with completion expected in the coming months. Another 23 circuit miles of heavily damaged infrastructure in non-HFRA zones will also be placed underground, while an additional 19 circuit miles remain under evaluation.

The January 7 Eaton Fire severely impacted Altadena, destroying or damaging approximately 11,000 structures across 14,000 acres, while the Palisades Fire damaged or destroyed approximately 8,000 structures across 23,000 acres in Malibu and surrounding areas. Edison International has acknowledged the possibility of SCE’s equipment being involved in the cause of the Eaton Fire. The investigation is ongoing, and the company says it remains committed to transparency with the public. While some parties have initiated litigation, Edison stated this “in no way affects our commitment to support SCE communities as we rebuild together.”

SCE has already completed immediate restoration work, replacing more than 1,875 poles, 700 transformers and 160 miles of distribution circuits by February 21. The company mobilized approximately 3,500 personnel during initial recovery efforts. This immediate restoration work cost approximately $200 million of the total plan.

In Malibu, plans include more than 90 circuit miles of undergrounding, with 16 circuit miles already underway and expected completion in 2025. This includes nearly all distribution circuits in the current High Fire Risk Area boundary.

The rebuild plan’s total cost of $860-925 million includes $550 million for HFRA undergrounding and covered conductor, $110-175 million for non-HFRA work, plus additional costs for customer interconnection and community resilience initiatives.

Nearly half of the undergrounding costs — approximately $300-350 million — relate to civil work, including trenching and paving. SCE is seeking coordination with Los Angeles County, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), and telecommunications companies to share trenching costs and implement a “one trench” policy.

Beyond undergrounding, the plan introduces “Community Resiliency Zones” that would designate public facilities like schools as emergency shelters equipped with microgrid facilities and battery storage providing over 24 hours of backup power during critical needs.

Other innovations include smart panels for residential properties to help customers manage energy usage and battery storage for “critical care” customers who require electric service for life-sustaining equipment.

“We appreciate the continued support from you and LA County,” Pizarro told Newsom, while requesting assistance with funding, permitting and stakeholder coordination. “Securing alternate funding sources is critical to make the plan a reality.”

A major hurdle for customers is the estimated $8,000-$10,000 per home cost to connect to underground service lines, potentially totaling $40-80 million across affected areas. SCE is seeking alternative funding through government and philanthropic sources to offset these expenses.

The company has conducted more than 50 listening sessions with community members, including focus groups, town halls and educational tours. In Altadena specifically, residents emphasized safety concerns about rebuilding with aboveground circuits and expressed worries about grid reliability and equity in rebuilding efforts across various income areas.

Southern California Edison has already demonstrated expedited reconstruction capabilities, recently completing all steps from design to civil work for undergrounding a line segment in Altadena in just five weeks — work that would normally take two years.

The rebuilding plan is expected to be implemented over several years, with priority given to areas currently without permanent power.