CPUC Proposes More Frequent Facility Inspections in Wildfire Areas
Communications infrastructure providers would have to patrol and inspect overhead facilities more frequently in California areas with an elevated or extreme risk of utility-associated wildfires, under a proposal by the California Public Utilities Commission. The commission Wednesday posted the proposed…
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decision, which has other rules for electric utilities, in docket R1505006. The CPUC said it plans to release a final draft of a fire-threat map by Nov. 17 and commissioners may vote on the proposal at its Dec. 14 meeting. Comments are due Nov. 28, replies five days later. Also, the CPUC Thursday approved an emergency resolution ordering telecom and other utilities to implement protections for consumers affected by the October wildfires. Communications companies in fire-affected areas must refund customers for periods the users had no service due to the fires, and carriers of last resort must waive connection charges for those affected, said a news release. California LifeLine providers must suspend de-enrollment for non-usage rules and delay the renewal process for affected consumers, it said.