Powerline Undergrounding Plan to Face Nov. 19 Vote
Utility contractors and suppliers should prepare for a possible narrowing of California's undergrounding work, from 5,000 miles to as few as 1,100.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Utilities
Live Poll
Will the CPUC cut PG&E's powerline undergrounding plan below 5,000 miles by Nov. 19?
California regulators are weighing a proposed decision that could sharply reduce Pacific Gas and Electric's plan to bury power lines to lower wildfire risk. The California Public Utilities Commission is scheduled to vote on it Nov. 19, and utilities seeking undergrounding approval under the process created by 2022 state law would be affected.
Why it matters
The proposed decision would prioritize high fire-risk areas and require utilities to compare undergrounding against alternatives such as protective coverings for overhead lines. For utility operators and contractors, the outcome determines whether multi-year undergrounding work is scaled up, reshaped, or narrowed.
PG&E's planned 5,000 miles of powerline undergrounding over the next decade, backed by roughly $16 billion, could shrink to 1,100 miles under the proposed decision. The plan would add about $9 per month for the average customer, according to the stub's projection.
The players
California Public Utilities Commission
The state regulator that approves utility infrastructure plans and rates, and whose rulemaking determines how investor-owned utilities recover undergrounding costs from customers.
Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E)
California's largest investor-owned utility, serving northern and central California, whose wildfire-mitigation spending and infrastructure plans are subject to commission approval.
The details
Under Senate Bill 884, passed by state lawmakers in 2022, utilities submit plans to bury power lines in high-risk wildfire areas for commission approval. The proposed decision would tighten that process by ranking high fire-risk areas first and requiring a comparison of undergrounding against cheaper protective measures for overhead lines. PG&E describes undergrounding as the most efficient and cost-effective way to cut long-term wildfire risk despite higher upfront costs.
Timeline
2022: State lawmakers pass Senate Bill 884, creating the undergrounding approval process.
Nov. 19: The California Public Utilities Commission is scheduled to vote on the proposed decision.
Over the next decade: PG&E plans to underground 5,000 miles of power lines across northern and central California.
Market Landscape
The proposed decision builds on the approval framework created by Senate Bill 884 in 2022, shifting the commission's review toward prioritizing the highest fire-risk areas. It places undergrounding in direct comparison with lower-cost protective alternatives, a balance that will shape how other investor-owned utilities in the state plan their wildfire mitigation.
Utility contractors and suppliers should watch how the Nov. 19 decision reshapes the pace and scope of undergrounding work in high fire-risk areas. Operators in the sector should factor possible shifts in customer rate recovery into near-term budget and procurement planning, and consult qualified counsel or an accountant on any contract or cost-recovery implications.
The takeaway
The Nov. 19 vote is the decision point for whether undergrounding scales toward 5,000 miles or narrows toward 1,100 miles, so utility vendors should calendar the date and monitor the commission's agenda. Operators should also track any rate-recovery language in the final decision, since it will determine the customer cost impact of undergrounding plans.
What happens next
The California Public Utilities Commission is scheduled to vote on the proposed decision on Nov. 19, and the item will be added to the agenda 10 days before that vote.
Further reading
For background on how these regulated providers operate, see the Utilities coverage on We are Main Street.
Live Poll
Will the CPUC cut PG&E's powerline undergrounding plan below 5,000 miles by Nov. 19?
