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Mayor: Laguna Beach awaits CPUC decision on canyon undergrounding; staff pursuing savings
Summary
Mayor Alex Runagi said Laguna Beach is awaiting a targeted undergrounding (TUG) grant decision from the California Public Utilities Commission and described local cost-saving efforts, including $30,000 annual savings identified by Procure America.
Mayor Alex Runagi said the city is awaiting word on whether it will receive a targeted undergrounding (TUG) grant through the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for undergrounding utilities in the canyon.
“ The next step is to figure out whether we've won the TUG grant, which is for targeted undergrounding through the California Public Utilities Commission,” Runagi said. He added that Southern California Edison has included Laguna Beach as an eligible project but that it is unclear how the CPUC will prioritize projects or whether it will allow Edison to raise rates to cover work.
Runagi described parallel local efforts to find revenue and reduce costs. He said an ad hoc committee including Bob Whalen and Mark Orgill is looking at revenue opportunities and noted the city engaged a procurement consultant, Procure America, to review utility and other bills. “They were able to find $30,000 in annual savings by looking at our bills from SDG, me, and Edison,” Runagi said, describing that savings as recurring and potentially material over time.
Runagi said the city is also applying for federal grants but cautioned eligibility and availability are uncertain under the new federal administration. “There's a lot of unknowns right there right now with the new administration,” he said.
No formal grant award was announced in the conversation, and Runagi did not describe specific timelines for a CPUC decision or for when potential undergrounding work would begin.
