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Company will Begin Next Phase of Physical Inspections and Testing of Electrical Equipment in Eaton Canyon; Determination of Cause is Not Expected
Inspection Protocols were Developed through Collaborative Process with Input from Interested Stakeholders
ROSEMEAD, Calif., March 14, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Edison International’s subsidiary, Southern California Edison, will begin the next phase of physical and video inspections and testing of electrical equipment in Eaton Canyon on March 17. This phase of testing will continue for several weeks in the field, followed by lab and engineering analysis.
This next step in the investigation will be SCE’s first close-up physical inspection since the start of the Eaton Fire. It is being conducted in close coordination with fire investigators, Los Angeles County, the cities of Pasadena and Sierra Madre and plaintiffs’ counsel, each of whom can have representatives present at the examination sites. The protocol for the upcoming inspections has been developed through a collaborative process with input from interested stakeholders, in line with SCE’s commitment to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation.
SCE conducted drone and on-site visual inspections from helicopters and the ground once it was safe to do so following the January 2025 Southern California wildfires. The next phase of inspections of the Eaton Canyon SCE equipment (subject to weather conditions) will include:
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Climbing Examinations: SCE crews will climb each tower to conduct detailed, in-person inspections and close-up photography of the equipment.
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Resistance, Soil Resistivity and Current Injection Testing: SCE will perform resistance and current injection testing to assess connection conductivity and resistance to ground.
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Additional Drone Inspections: Aerial inspections using drones will allow for a detailed visual assessment and photography of the active and idle electrical towers, power lines and other equipment in the area. Building on the drone inspections SCE has done previously, these inspections will be conducted in close cooperation with other stakeholders as part of a coordinated effort and shared with all parties.
SCE does not anticipate having an immediate update following the upcoming inspection and testing and continues to expect the full investigation to take several months to complete. Following the conclusion of this phase of testing, SCE will conduct a comprehensive review of the data collected (in coordination with third-party experts) and will move forward as quickly as possible in analyzing results.