Altadena Residents Demand Pause to Edison Underground Power Project Over Costs and Tree Concerns

Altadena, California residents called on local officials this week to suspend Southern California Edison’s project to bury power lines, citing unexpected costs to homeowners and potential damage to the town’s remaining heritage trees. The request comes as fire survivors from last year’s devastating Eaton Fire say the utility’s trenching and street work is adding new financial and emotional burdens to a community still recovering from disaster.

In a letter sent to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, more than 120 residents and members of the Altadena Town Council detailed concerns about the undergrounding work. Residents allege that Edison’s crews have sometimes appeared without advance notice and have begun digging beneath mature oak and pine trees that survived the fire. Local arborists warn the work could jeopardize tree roots and kill some of the last trees left standing after the blaze. County officials have also reminded the utility that ordinance protections for oak trees apply, and trenching projects are not exempt.

The financial impact on homeowners has also become a flashpoint. Although Edison estimated last year that each homeowner connecting to underground lines would pay between $8,000 and $10,000, residents argue the real cost can rise significantly higher, especially for properties requiring longer trenches. Many are already struggling to rebuild after losing homes in the fire and report insurance shortfalls.

Another concern is that the undergrounding effort will leave telecommunication lines overhead, since companies such as AT&T and Spectrum have not agreed to bury their wires in the new trenches. Residents argue this undermines the visual and safety benefits of the entire project.

Southern California Edison representatives say they are addressing residents’ concerns by seeking additional funding help and offering homeowners the option to retain existing overhead service lines if costs are prohibitive. The utility maintains that undergrounding distribution lines will eventually create a safer and more reliable grid as the community rebuilds.

The Altadena Town Council has unanimously backed the request to pause the project until financial, environmental, and planning issues are resolved. The company has established both a hotline and a local office to field inquiries and complaints. The cause of the 2023 Eaton Fire, which killed at least 19 people and destroyed more than 9,400 structures, remains officially under investigation, with a final report yet to be released.