Wednesday, January 21, 2026

Legislation to Remove Abandoned Powerlines Advances After Deadly Eaton Fire

The bill, authored by Senator Sasha Renée Pérez, now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee after bipartisan support in the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee

A bill requiring the removal of abandoned and decommissioned powerlines, prompted by the deadly Eaton Fire in Altadena, cleared the Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee last week with bipartisan support.

Senate Bill 742, authored by Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena), mandates investor-owned utilities to dismantle permanently abandoned lines and strengthens communication with local jurisdictions to improve emergency response and public safety.

“We will not give up on this issue. SB 742 is our continuing effort to prevent more deadly disasters like the Eaton Fire,” said Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena). “Investor-owned utility companies have failed to responsibly address abandoned lines, leaving them as potential safety threats in communities all over California.”

The Eaton Fire ignited Jan. 7 in Eaton Canyon, killing 19 people, burning 14,021 acres and destroying more than 9,000 structures. Investigators suspect an abandoned powerline sparked the blaze.

The legislation updates the California Public Utilities Commission’s General Order 95 to require removal of unused lines. In December, regulators ordered Southern California Edison to assess fire risks on 355 miles of idle transmission lines after company executives told the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety they had no plans to remove out-of-service lines before 2028.

“The Eaton Fire devastated Altadena and we are only beginning to rebuild one year later,” said Senator Pérez. “We know there can be significant risks posed by abandoned powerlines throughout California. We owe it to our communities to ensure these deadly fire disasters don’t happen again.”

SB 742 will be heard next in the Senate Appropriations Committee.