Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Psps And Grid Hardening topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mono County approves agreement for SCE community resource centers and hears grid-hardening update
Summary
The board voted to let Southern California Edison use five county community centers and the Civic Center lobby as nonbinding Community Resource Centers or crew staging locations during PSPS events; SCE outlined grid-hardening work, expanded vegetation and customer resilience programs.
Southern California Edison representatives briefed the Mono County Board of Supervisors on April 14 about wildfire mitigation, grid-hardening efforts and customer-facing programs, and the board voted to approve a nonbinding license agreement allowing SCE to use county community centers as Community Resource Centers (CRCs) or crew vehicle staging areas during public safety power shutoffs (PSPS) or other localized emergencies.
SCE representatives described continued investment in covered conductor (approximately 200 circuit miles installed so far, with about 100 more miles projected over the next two years) and expanded vegetation-management work. They outlined customer programs including increased rebates for backup power solutions, a customer community resilience grant for critical infrastructure providers, and a community-directed grant program (Edison/Whitebark funding) that has funded local Firewise and chipper-day projects. SCE will host a regional PSPS community meeting on May 14 in Bishop and other service-area meetings in May; the company encouraged county staff, emergency managers and tribal partners to participate.
Under the license agreement the county may make selected facilities available on a case-by-case basis; the agreement is nonexclusive and nonbinding. SCE will coordinate with the county (sheriff, emergency management, facilities) before activating CRCs. The draft includes a nominal license fee ($1,500 indoor; $500 for outdoor staging) intended to offset staffing or facility costs; the board requested assurance the funds would be directed to emergency management use and clarified invoicing responsibilities.
Supervisor questions focused on expectations about county responsibilities for security, logistical coordination when facilities are in use for other events, and clarity over invoicing and funds management. County staff said the agreement had been refined to remove archaic or unnecessary requirements and to include a flexible "as-needed" approach to security and staffing; the sheriff's office has provided security support in past deployments.
The board approved the license agreement and asked county staff to confirm invoicing and fund flow procedures and to coordinate with finance and emergency management for billing. SCE also noted a community-directed grant portal closing May 11 for this cycle and encouraged local Firewise councils and fire departments to apply for project funding.
