Napa Scales Back Plans to Bury Power Lines on Jefferson Street

Funding shortfall forces city to focus only on northern half of original project area.

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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The city of Napa has decided to downscale its decade-old plan to bury utility lines on a section of Jefferson Street due to a $5 million funding shortfall. The original plan was to move power lines underground from Trancas Street to Lincoln Avenue, but the city will now focus only on the northern half of that stretch, from Trancas to Pueblo Avenue.

Why it matters

Burying power lines underground is a common goal for cities looking to improve aesthetics, enhance safety, and clear sidewalks. However, the high costs and regulatory changes have made this project more challenging for Napa. The reduced scope represents a compromise to make the best use of available funding and resources.

The details

The city has $9.9 million in work credits from the California Public Utilities Commission's program to fund the project, but the total cost is estimated at $15 million. Changes in state rules also prevented the city from accruing additional work credits. With a $5 million shortfall, the city decided to focus on the northern half of the original project area, which offers benefits like clearing 13 utility poles from a walkable path and improving the fiber optic network for traffic signals.

  • The city council directed staff to reduce the project scope at a meeting on February 17, 2026.
  • PG&E will spend the next 6 months to 1 year redesigning the project.
  • Construction is likely to begin around mid-2027 and take 1 to 3 years to complete.

The players

City of Napa

The local government overseeing the power line undergrounding project on Jefferson Street.

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (PG&E)

The utility company that will redesign, bid, and construct the reduced-scope project.

Christopher DeNatale

The vice mayor of Napa who supports reducing the project scope to use as much of the available funding as possible.

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What they’re saying

“I am in support of reducing the scope of this but using as much of the money (set aside) as possible. In my mind, it's very clear that the north segment offers the best potential for a number of reasons.”

— Christopher DeNatale, Vice Mayor (pressdemocrat.com)

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 repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.