Eaton Fire: The Decision Not to Power Down

Why weren't those high-voltage transmission lines switched-off — on the night of the Eaton Fire? The frequency of wind speed measurements in Eaton Canyon may have played a role in Southern California Edison's decision -not- to de-energize high voltage transmission lines on the night the Eaton Fire ignited. A state agency had suggested minute-by-minute monitoring, so utility operators could determine if gusts threatened the safety of power equipment. Edison says its standards are in compliance with state rules: "Safety and continuous improvement are key values at SCE, so when those issues were flagged by OEIS in 2022, we worked to mitigate them. OEIS was satisfied with our disposition of these issues when they approved our 2023-2025 Wildfire Mitigation Plan," an SCE spokesman told NBC.   Thanks for listening to The Leonard Files – Stay with us as we uncover the investigations from some of LA’s most challenging and intriguing moments. Subscribe now so you don’t miss the next episode of The Leonard Files. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.