Altadena Residents Balk at Costs to Connect to Edison's Buried Power Lines

Homeowners face thousands in fees to link to new underground grid, raising concerns about impact on trees and lack of telecom line burial.

Published on Feb. 18, 2026

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Altadena residents who survived the devastating Eaton wildfire are now facing thousands of dollars in costs to connect their homes to Southern California Edison's new underground power lines. Many are also worried the construction work will damage or kill dozens of oak and pine trees in the area. Residents say they were "blindsided" by the added expenses and are frustrated that most neighborhood telecommunications lines will remain overhead.

Why it matters

The undergrounding project is intended to reduce the risk of future wildfires, but the high costs being passed on to homeowners and potential damage to the community's remaining trees have sparked backlash. This highlights the challenges utilities face in balancing wildfire mitigation efforts with the financial and environmental impacts on residents.

The details

Edison is spending up to $925 million to bury power lines in Altadena and Malibu following the Eaton fire. Homeowners are being asked to pay $20,000 to $40,000 to connect their properties to the new underground grid. Residents have also found dozens of spots where deep trenches are planned under mature oak and pine trees, which they fear will kill the trees. Meanwhile, most neighborhood telecom lines will remain overhead, frustrating residents who hoped for full undergrounding.

  • Last year, Connor Cipolla praised Edison's plan to bury more than 60 miles of power lines in Altadena.
  • In April, Edison announced it would spend up to $925 million on undergrounding and grid rebuilding in Altadena and Malibu.
  • Last week, Edison crews began digging trenches for the new underground lines in Altadena neighborhoods.

The players

Connor Cipolla

An Eaton wildfire survivor who initially praised Edison's undergrounding plan, but was later shocked to learn he would have to pay $20,000 to $40,000 to connect his home to the new grid.

Robert Steller

A homeowner who lost his home in the Eaton fire and is now trying to block Edison from burying a transformer near two large deodar cedar trees, fearing the work will kill the trees.

Brandon Tolentino

An Edison vice president who says the company is trying to find funding to help homeowners pay for the connection costs and is working to minimize the impact on trees during construction.

Mark Ellis

The former chief economist for Sempra who calculated that Edison and its shareholders could earn over $70 million in profit in the first year from the $925 million undergrounding project.

Mark Toney

The executive director of the Utility Reform Network consumer group, who says Edison's undergrounding costs five times more than installing insulated overhead lines, leading to higher customer bills and utility profits.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about the high costs being passed on to Altadena residents for Edison's undergrounding project, as well as the potential environmental impact on the area's remaining trees. It raises questions about the balance between wildfire mitigation efforts and the financial and ecological toll on local communities.