SoCal Edison Rejects RPV's Request To Re-Energize Landslide-Affected Homes

RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA — Southern California Edison has rejected Rancho Palos Verdes officials' request to reconsider energizing more than 100 homes in the Portuguese Bend area.

Rancho Palos Verdes officials asked the electric company last week to reconsider its threshold for re-energizing 128 homes in the Portuguese Bend Community Association neighborhood, citing a reduction in land movement in the area. The area is seeing land movement of up to four inches per week, city officials said in a letter to SoCal Edison.

But SCE's Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Jill Anderson, told the city that they can't turn the power back on in those homes because land movement of four inches per week still poses a safety risk, according to an administrative report from RPV officials.

"(Anderson) stated that a continued and sustained reduction in land movement near SCE’s electrical infrastructure to less than 1 inch per week is necessary for the utility to consider re-energizing PBCA," RPV officials said in the administrative report.

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Many homes in Rancho Palos Verdes have been without energy or gas for nearly a year now due to infrastructure issues caused by land movement.

In May, the Southern California Gas Company announced it would begin restoring services in some homes in the Seaview area and upgrading portions of its gas mains, along with installing new safety equipment. Land movement in the Portuguese Bend Beach Club neighborhood and the Seaview area has slowed down significantly and is currently undetectable, according to RPV officials.

Still, the gas company previously said it is still in the process of developing designs and implementation plans to restore gas to the Portuguese Bend area, such as the Portuguese Bend Beach Club.

As of May, SCE has turned the power back on in 74 homes in the Seaview and Portuguese Bend Beach Club area, according to a weekly administrative report from RPV officials.

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Local Editor Rachel Barnes contributed to this report.