Southern California Edison outlines undergrounding work on Topanga Canyon Boulevard; residents raise PSPS and rate concerns

Southern California Edison (SCE) project staff summarized progress on an undergrounding program along Topanga Canyon Boulevard and answered resident questions about scheduling, outages and claims.

Mia Torres, SCE project manager for the targeted underground program, said crews have installed utility structures on the north side of Topanga Canyon Boulevard and have approximately 1,000 feet of civil trenching left. She estimated about 10 days of remaining civil work for that section; electrical work will follow and is permitted for nighttime hours to reduce traffic impacts. SCE said the electrical construction is expected to be complete by March for this portion of the project.

Project phasing: SCE described multiple sections for the work. The current Section 1 runs from Woodland Crest to Happy Trails; Section 2 remains in design (staff said roughly six months to complete design); Section 3 covers the corridor from PCH to the 1.8-mile marker and is being accelerated alongside fire-restoration work. For Section 3, crews planned to begin potholing, remarking vault locations and then trenching once re-marking is complete.

Residents raised several operational concerns. One homeowner said multiple post-storm outages and PSPS events had damaged HVAC equipment; SCE staff advised filing an equipment-claims form through Edison’s claims process (repair up front, submit receipts, possible reimbursement if approved). A resident asked about higher electric bills; SCE said rates are not handled by the project manager and recommended residents contact the utility’s rate or regulatory teams or the California Public Utilities Commission for rate questions. SCE staff said undergrounding work should reduce fire risk and PSPS frequency in heavily impacted circuits but that undergrounding every circuit in the canyon would require easements and broad feasibility study.

On pole removal and communications: SCE explained the project will place primary electrical conductors underground. Poles will be cut at the communication level so communications lines may remain on shortened poles unless telecommunications companies join the undergrounding effort; SCE said coordination is ongoing but not guaranteed.

Construction impacts: SCE said civil work is noisy and therefore performed during daytime hours and Saturdays until 1 p.m.; the quieter electrical work is scheduled at night under Caltrans permits. SCE agreed to share weekly updates and coordinate distribution lists for community notices.

Sources: SCE presentation and Q&A at the Topanga community meeting (Mia Torres, Southern California Edison; meeting transcript starting 00:15:58).