SCE's Wildfire Mitigation Plan Under Scrutiny Amid Catastrophic Fires

State utility regulators are set to vote on Southern California Edison's (SCE) wildfire-mitigation plan, which faces criticism for underestimating risk during extreme winds. Despite no direct blame for recent blazes, SCE's infrastructure is under investigation, and the company faces lawsuits over the Eaton Fire.

State utility regulators will decide on Thursday whether to approve Southern California Edison's wildfire-mitigation plan. Safety auditors have criticized the plan for not adequately assessing the risk of fires during extreme wind conditions, according to official filings.

The latest 2025 wildfire-mitigation plan by SCE, under review by the California Public Utilities Commission, is significant for Los Angeles, a region recently hit by fires fueled by strong Santa Ana winds. While SCE has not been held accountable for these fires, its infrastructure is being scrutinized, and it faces numerous lawsuits linking its equipment to the destructive Eaton Fire.

Regulators are expected to vote on ratifying the auditor's approval of SCE's plan. Auditors noted the plan meets and occasionally surpasses industry standards but warned that it might underestimate the risks posed by extraordinarily strong winds, a forecast issue linked to climate change.

An audit by the California Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety highlighted that SCE uses wind-condition data from the past two decades, which does not account for foreseeable and significant risks. The agency emphasized the need for a model that considers severe wind events exacerbated by climate change.

The utility, through spokesperson David Eisenhauer, defended its methods, stating their calculations incorporate ignition probabilities informed by fire weather and wind data. The SCE's plan for 2023-2025 is estimated to cost $5.6 billion.

SCE has committed to enhancing its models with historical and future weather scenarios, including climate change, in the 2026-2028 plan. This aligns with nationwide efforts by climate scientists and engineers to better prepare the grid for natural disasters.

Existing risk models often rely on historical data and may underestimate the impact of recent, extreme weather events. As wildfires become increasingly frequent, SCE uses worst-case scenario estimates for its mitigation strategies.

The utility and its peers face mounting scrutiny over their response to California's wildfires. SCE, the largest electric utility in Southern California, is embroiled in lawsuits claiming its equipment caused the deadly Eaton blaze near Altadena.

(With inputs from agencies.)