Transmission and distribution lines: undergrounding and fire hardening.

Under existing law, the Public Utilities Commission has jurisdiction over public utilities, including electrical corporations. Under its existing authority, the commission requires electrical corporations to implement the California Overhead Conversion Program to provide financial assistance to local governments to facilitate projects that are in the public interest and that remove overhead infrastructure, replacing it with infrastructure in underground trenches. This bill would require the commission to require electrical corporations to develop and administer programs to replace overhead electric facilities along public streets and roads, and on other public or private properties in high fire threat districts, as determined by the commission, with underground electric facilities. Under existing law, a violation of the Public Utilities Act or any rule, order, decision, or direction of the commission is a crime. Because certain of the above provisions would be in the act, a violation of an order by the commission implementing the above provisions would be a crime, and therefore this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.