Southern California Edison receives tongue lashing from Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor
Southern California Edison received a tongue lashing from Rancho Palos Verdes Mayor Anthony Misetich last month over power outages and fires that have plagued the Peninsula over the past several years and especially lately.
“The number of power outages that I get complaints from residents about is staggering,” Misetich told Edison representative Marvin Jackmon at a city council meeting July 15. “It’s almost like we’re in a banana republic.”
More than 100 unscheduled outages occurred from 2008 to 2011, according to RPV statistics. Misetich described a week last month where electricity went out six times at his house for several hours. Some of the outages were planned, but notices were not distributed, he said.
The mayor’s overall frustration was clear at last month’s council meeting as he set out to take a firm stance with the public utility.
“I think your company has done a piss poor job in our community to be quite frank,” Misetich said.
The company recognizes the power lines are outdated, Jackmon said. Edison has reportedly spent about $10 million since 2008 on infrastructure improvements.
“Three years ago we started an internal team to address Palos Verdes outages,” Jackmon said. “It took about three years to come up with a plan.”
According to RPV city officials, the plan is moving too slowly.
“Maybe you need to take a message back to your bosses that they need to spend more money on infrastructure on our Peninsula,” Misetich said.
The utility had similarly come under fire by Palos Verdes Estates where a surge in power outages occurred last fall. The company agreed to install additional fault detectors and other devices to isolate outages.
Fire danger
Discussion with all four cities on the Peninsula in February came after a power line sparked a 15-acre brush fire in January. Los Angeles county fire officials determined Edison equipment caused at least four fires since 2005, including two in 2012. Together those fires burned 378 acres.
“The fire danger in the preserve is probably the most important thing that concerns me,” said Councilman Jerry Duhovic. “Once that’s set ablaze it could be a nightmare on the hill.”
Brushfires from power lines occur from things such as Mylar balloons striking live wires, and in many cases raptors. Mountain bikers commonly refer to a popular trail as Flaming Eagle Trail for the way an eagle struck a power line, caught fire and fell to the ground in a ball of flame, sparking a brushfire.
Earlier this year two fires burned a total of eight acres of Jim York’s property in Portuguese Bend. York said he filed a claim with Edison for damages.
“They admitted these poles here have had some significant problems,” he said. “The salt air and things deteriorate them. Edison is talking about entirely replacing the wires. I want them to put the wires underground.”
Burying lines underground is expensive. Upgrading the lines and installing raptor cages to prevent birds from nesting on the poles helps to reduce the chance of fire.
Conflicts arise
Making upgrades within crowded neighborhoods is not easy either, as evidenced by a recent case. As part of a $4 million upgrade, Edison engineers planned a larger transformer in the 1800 block of West Toscanini Drive.
When one neighbor complained the box was too close to the back of her garage, the utility moved the box to a location overlooking the backyard of another family. The family subsequently complained and now the utility is reducing the size of the transformer altogether.
“It’s another example of trying to improve the reliably when at the same time we have issues with taller poles and the position of transformers,” Jackmon said.
Councilwoman Linda Brooks urged the utility to remember the elderly who might be vulnerable in the event of a power outage.
“We have people on ventilators,” Brooks said. “There has to be a way to address the whole Peninsula. These incidents are crucial. If we could go to another utility company, frankly I would; but we’re trapped.” ER