Wednesday, February 18, 2026

Altadena Residents Press Town Council Over Southern California Edison Undergrounding Work, Citing Tree Damage and Costs

Residents urged the Altadena Town Council on Tuesday, Feb. 17, to intervene in Southern California Edison’s ongoing undergrounding of electrical lines in the foothill area, arguing the project is moving forward with minimal notice and could damage surviving trees while shifting significant costs onto homeowners.

Multiple speakers told the council that Edison’s undergrounding work, which is intended to relocate overhead electrical infrastructure below ground, has raised concerns about the potential removal or harm to mature trees that remained after recent fire damage. Residents said the work appears to be advancing without what they described as meaningful outreach or clear communication to affected neighborhoods.

Speakers also warned that homeowners may be required to pay for property-side electrical upgrades in order to connect to the new underground system. They expressed concern that the changes could result in unexpected and potentially expensive modifications to private property.

In addition, residents questioned whether the undergrounding effort would fully eliminate existing overhead infrastructure. Some said they feared neighborhoods could be left with new surface features such as utility vaults and transformers, and possibly even remaining utility poles, rather than the fully “undergrounded” system they expected.

The comments came during public testimony at the Town Council meeting, where residents asked Councilmembers to seek greater transparency from Southern California Edison and to advocate for clearer communication about the scope, costs and environmental impacts of the project.

Councilmembers listened to the concerns and discussed the issue in the context of Altadena’s ongoing recovery and rebuilding efforts, as residents weigh infrastructure improvements against neighborhood character, safety and financial impact.

No Southern California Edison representative spoke during the meeting segment in which residents raised the concerns.