California State Bill 901 aims to protect residents from wildfires that have been sparked by power lines and are fueled by high winds or other extreme weather. Senator Bill Dodd’s legislation requires electric utilities to update their wildfire mitigation plans.
Those plans must include policies and procedures for determining if, when and where to temporarily de-energize a power line during harsh weather. Dodd explained de-energizing a power line may create an inconvenience to customers, but without the protocols in place, the alternative may lead to the unthinkable. The bill is now being considered in the Assembly.