Closure Letters
Closure Letters
As of November 2023, ESRB started issuing Closure Letters for incident Investigations. The table below shows the incidents and provides a link to the closure letter.
| Incident Number |
Incident Date | Utility | Reason for Investigation | Brief description of Incident | Closure Letter |
| E20231107-01 | 7-Nov-2023 | PG&E |
Injury | On November 7, 2023, PG&E heard reports of a possible injury and power lines down at 5805 E Hwy 20 in Lucerne, CA. Three third-party individuals were attempting to retrieve their drone that got stuck in a tree. One of the individuals used an aluminum ladder to climb into the tree and brought a metal pole to attempt to free the drone. The individual who climbed the tree struck a nearby overhead conductor with the pole and received a fatal electric shock. The two other individuals refused medical treatment. | E20231107-01 & EI231107A |
| E20231024-01 |
24-Oct-2023 | PG&E | Injury | On October 24, 2023 at 0920 hours, PG&E received notification of an injured individual due to electric contact in the vicinity of East Lancaster Drive and East Yokuts Avenue in Stockton, of San Joaquin County, a non-HFTD. The area is served by the Hammer 1104 12kV overhead distribution circuit. A third-party tree crew who was not performing work on behalf of PG&E made contact with the primary lines. The individual received an electric shock and was transported to the hospital and is expected to be admitted for overnight treatment. |
E20231024-01 & EI231024A |
| E20230720-01 |
20-July-2023 | SCE | Injury | A male individual sustained burn injuries when he made contact with high-voltage equipment from SCE’s energized pad-mounted transformer. Based on the investigation, it was revealed that the individual was attempting to vandalize SCE’s underground facilities, which led to his injuries. |
E20230720-01 & 202306722 |
| E20230512-01 |
12-May-2023 | SCE | Injury | Two individuals sustained burn injuries when they made contact with high-voltage equipment from SCE’s energized pad-mounted transformer. Based on the investigation, it was revealed that the individuals were attempting to vandalize SCE’s underground facilities, which led to their injuries. |
E20230512-01 & 202304614 |
| E20230503-01 |
3-May-2023 | SCE | Injury | SCE submits this report as it involves an event that meets the fatality or personal injury requiring in-patient hospitalization reporting requirement. Preliminary information reflects a male individual was removing roof flashing off a structure when the flashing was elevated and contacted an overhead primary conductor. He reportedly sustained injuries and was transported to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. |
E20230503-01 |
| E20230417-01 |
17-Apr-2023 | PG&E | Injury | On April 17, 2023, at 0925 hours, a PG&E repair crew was performing planned work in the vicinity of Queens Court and Llewellyn Avenue in Campbell, of Santa Clara County, a non-HFTD. The area is served by the El Patio 1116 12kV overhead distribution circuit. While replacing a street light overhead service, a journeyman line worker received an electric shock and was transported to the hospital and is expected to be admitted for overnight treatment. |
E20230417-01 EI230417A |
| EI230411A | 11-Apr-2023 | PG&E | Property Damage | On April 11, 2023, at 0010 hours, PG&E received notification of a voltage imbalance associated with Placer Substation Circuit Breaker 142. Placer Substation is located in the vicinity of Blocker Drive and Hidden Creek Drive in Auburn, of Placer County, a non-HFTD. Based on preliminary information, Placer 115kV Circuit Breaker failed and will need to be replaced. The cost of the circuit breaker replacement is expected to exceed $50,000. | E20230411-01 |
| E20230606-02 & EI230321A |
21-March-2023 | PG&E |
Property Damage | On June 6, 2023, PG&E Law-Claims received a claim for property damage exceeding $50,000. The customer is located at 560 West Ormonde Road in San Luis Obispo of San Luis Obispo County, a Tier 2 High Fire Threat District (HFTD). The area is served by the Oceano 1104 12 kilovolts (kV) Overhead (OH) Distribution Circuit. The claim alleged that on March 21, 2023, the customer experienced unbalanced voltage resulting in damage to multiple appliances. PG&E reported this incident under the property damage criterion. PG&E did not retain any equipment associated with this incident because the incident did not meet reportability criteria at the time. |
E20230606-02 & EI230321A |
| E20230606-03 |
24-Feb-2023 | PG&E | Property Damage |
On June 6, 2023, PG&E Law-Claims received a claim for property damage exceeding $50,000. The customer is located in the vicinity of Grand Avenue and Cliff Avenue in Capitola, of Santa Cruz County, a non-HFTD. The area is served by the Soquel 0402 4kV overhead distribution circuit. The claims alleges that on February 24, 2023, the customer experienced unbalanced voltage resulting in damage to multiple appliances. |
E20230606-03 & EI230224E |
| EI230304A |
23-Feb-2023 | PG&E | Property Damage | On August 16, 2023, PG&E Law-Claims received a claim for property damage exceeding $50,000. The customer is located in the vicinity of US 101 and Redwood Highway in Laytonville, of Mendocino County, a Tier 2-HFTD. The area is served by the WILLITS-1103 12kV overhead distribution circuit. The claim alleges that on March 4, 2023, the customers experienced unbalanced voltage resulting in damage to multiple appliances and equipment. |
E20230817-03 |
| EI230207A |
07-Feb-2023 | PG&E | Property Damage | On February 7, 2023, at 0715 hours, PG&E responded to an outage notification in the vicinity of Howard Street and 5th Street in San Francisco, of San Francisco County, a non-HFTD. The area is served by the SF X 1102 12kV overhead distribution circuit. As of July 28, 2023, PG&E Law-Claims has received multiple claims that collectively exceed $50,000. The claims allege the customers experienced unbalanced voltage resulting in damage to multiple appliances. |
E20230728-01 |
| E20230713-01 |
11-Jan-2023 | SCE | Property Damage | SCE submits this report as it involves an event (structure fire) that may meet the property damage to the utility or others is above $50,000 reporting requirement. SCE received notice from counsel on behalf of the property owner's insurance carrier alleging SCE facilities were involved in the ignition of the fire that affected the subject residential property. Our information reflects the Meadowbrook 12 kV circuit experienced relay activity at 6:55 a.m. on Wednesday, January 11, 2023. Our personnel responded to the area and observed overhead equipment failure on Pole No. 4914058E and fire at the base of the pole. We subsequently received a demand from counsel in which the damages were noted in excess of $50K. | E20230713-01 |
| E20221213-01 |
13-Dec-2022 | SCE | Injury | SCE submits this report as it involves an event that may meet the fatality or personal injury requiring inpatient hospitalization reporting requirement. Preliminary information indicates an employee of Hampton Tedder Electric, a contractor working on behalf of SCE on a pole replacement job, fell from heights and sustained injuries to his wrist and leg. He was transported from the scene to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance. |
E20221213-01 |
| 20221130-01 | 13-Nov-2022 | PG&E | Property Damage | On November 12, 2022 at 1130 hours, PG&E responded to reports of flickering lights and smoke coming from electrical equipment at 15502 Curtis Circle, Sonora. PG&E tested voltages and determined the issue originated at the secondary riser cable on a nearby pole. PG&E repaired the riser cable and restored power at 2140 hours. PG&E reported the incident on November 30, 2022 under the property damage criteria after receiving a damage claim exceeding $50,000. | |
| 20221110-01 | 10-Nov-2022 | BVES | Fatality | A six-man bucket crew of Mowbray’s Tree Service, a tree trimming contractor of Bear Valley Electric Services (BVES) were maneuvering a 23-foot-long diameter central stem of a tree away from the de-energized damaged secondary conductors. During the maneuver, the stem started swinging sideways and one of the groundmen ended up getting momentarily pinned against the lift truck and later died in the hospital. My investigation revealed that the crew failed to determine the appropriate rigging system based on the size, length and weight of the tree section and to remain outside of the danger zone during the tree felling process. | E20221110-01 |
| E20230608-01 |
3-Nov-2022 | SCE | Property Damage | On November 3, 2022, a structure fire was reported at 13529 Don Julian Road around 6:20 PM. Earlier the same day, SCE contractor replaced pole No. 1010264E resulting in a planned maintenance outage, including the above referenced residence. Upon completion of the work, electric service was restored at 3:45 PM. SCE assisted the Los Angeles County Fire Department in de-energizing the residence and noted no abnormal issues with their facilities near the Incident Site. SCE reported the incident on June 8, 2023, under the property damage criteria after receiving a claim exceeding $50,000 from the homeowner’s insurance company. | E20230608-01 202301630 |
| E20221026-01 |
26-Oct-2022 | SCE | Fatality | On October 26, 2022, SCE submits this report as it involves an event that meets the fatality or personal injury requiring inpatient hospitalization. Preliminary information indicates an unidentified individual sustained fatal injuries in an apparent act of vandalism of electrical facilities within a subsurface structure. |
E20221026-01 |
| E20221005-01 |
4-Oct-2022 | SDG&E | Property Damage | On October 4, 2022, an outage occurred at 9:57am affecting 61,881 customers in the City of El Cajon. The outage was a result of a failed corroded wedge connector on a jumper that bridged the center phase on two overhead 69 kV transmission line spans. The incident was covered by local media reporting that the outage lasted one hour and thirty minutes for most of the customers. However, according to the information provided by SDG&E, power was restored in 36 seconds after the start of the outage. |
E20221005-01 221005-15305 |
| E20220906-02 |
6-Sep-2022 | SDG&E | Injury | On September 6, 2022, an SDG&E crew was performing a pole change out on Pole No. P1697787 to change the 65 feet wood pole to a 60 feet steel pole. The energized conductors on one side of the top crossarm were transferred onto a temporary extension arm that was attached to the crossarm. The crossarm broke, causing the energized conductor to fall and contact lineman who sustained first, and second degree burns to both shoulders, back, neck, and ear. He was transported to UCSD Medical Center and was released September 10, 2022. |
E20220906-02 |
| EI220426A | 26-Apr-2022 | PG&E | Property Damage | On May 11, 2023, PG&E Law Claims received a claim exceeding $50,000 from a customer in the area of Nottingham Drive and Lancaster Street, Cambria of San Luis Obispo County, a non-HFTD. This area is served by the Cambria 1102 12kV overhead distribution circuit. The claim alleges that on April 26, 2022, a bad wire connection caused damage to the customer's household appliances. | E20230511-01 |
| E20220926-01 |
26-March-2022 | SCE | Property Damage | On March 25, 2022, a structure fire occurred at 304/306 North Third Avenue in the city of Barstow. Responding SCE personnel discovered that the neutral wire of the triplex servicing the property had separated, but Barstow Fire Department personnel at the scene did not indicate that SCE facilities were responsible for the ignition of the fire. On September 26, 2022, SCE received a subrogation claim from the property owner’s insurance company alleging that SCE facilities were indeed responsible for the fire and subsequent damages of $190,000. |
E20220926-01 202204422 |
| E20220128-01 |
13-Jan-2022 | SCE | Fatality | On January 13, 2022, at approximately 1030 hours, near 4212 E. Pacific Way, Commerce, a crew from Kafil construction, a third-party contractor, was excavating in and around SCE Pole number 1152260E when they caused the pole to overturn and break. The top portion of the pole fell onto a parked truck. A passenger inside the truck later passed away, potentially due to injuries suffered during the incident. |
E20220128-01 202200964 |
| E20220707-01 |
3-Dec-2021 | SCE | Property Damage | On Friday, December 3, 2021 at 4:53 p.m., the Wingnut 12kV circuit out of the Chestnut Substation relayed and reclosed. The Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) received a report of a structure fire in the city of Tustin. At approximately 5:01 p.m., SCE received a call from the OCFA reporting a structure fire and wire down. SCE personnel responded to the incident site and discovered downed primary conductors from pole no. 1549898E. On July 7, 2022, SCE received a subrogation claim from the property owner’s insurance carrier in excess of $295,000. The claim alleges that an energized power line fell and contacted the subject property, resulting in the ignition of the fire. |
E20220707-01 202200134 |
| E20211011-01 |
26-Aug-2021 | SCE | Property Damage | SCE submits this report as it involves an event that may meet the damage to property of the utility or others estimated to exceed $50,000 and are attributable or allegedly attributable to utility owned facilities reporting requirement. SCE recently received notice from the insurance carrier for the property owner of 20503 Madrona Avenue, Torrance, indicating a structure fire occurred on August 26, 2021 at an unknown time, and the resulting subrogation claim would be in excess of $50,000. It is alleged that SCE facilities may have been involved in the ignition of the fire at the location. Preliminary information reflects SCE personnel responded to a trouble call regarding a service issue at 20532 Avis Avenue, Torrance, on August 26, 2021. The crew discovered a compromised secondary neutral connection (a one-bolt connector) at Pole No. 1158075E. The subject connector was replaced. |
E20211011-01 |
| E20210816-01 |
16-Aug-2021 | SCE | Injury | On August 16, 2021, an employee of Par Electrical Contractors, Inc., a contractor working on behalf of SCE, was on a wood utility pole and transitioning around telecommunication facilities supported by the subject pole when he fell to the ground. It is our understanding that he sustained a head laceration and leg injury as a result of the fall. | E20210816-01 |
| E20210624-01 |
24-June-2021 | SCE | Fatality | On June 24, 2021, SCE staff conducting a patrol inspection discovered a man hanging by the neck from the lowest rung of an SCE lattice transmission tower in a rural forested area near Crestline in San Bernardino County. SCE staff contacted local emergency services, and the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department (SBSD) responded to the scene and removed the body. The fatality appeared to be an act of suicide. |
E20210624-01 |
| E20200722-01 |
22-July-2020 | SCE | Fatality | A Journeyman Lineman for Diversified Utility Services, Inc. (Diversified), sustained fatal injuries while working on a pole replacement project on behalf of Southern California Edison (SCE) in the city of San Bernardino. The investigation revealed that he lost control of the elevated work platform he was using to transport a new crossarm to top of the pole, which caused him to make contact with two energized 4 kV conductors. |
E20200722-01 202007273 |
| E20230426-01 |
16-Nov-2019 | SCE | Injury | A low-flying airplane was observed to have struck and damaged SCE distribution conductors resulting in downed electrical conductors coming to rest across National Trails Highway. The airplane continued its travel without further incident. The information regarding the aircraft strike was documented by the investigating officer in the California Highway Patrol Traffic Collision Report based upon the interview of a witness at the incident location. Additionally, an individual was injured while traveling on a motorcycle on the highway and collided with an overhead conductor causing him to be ejected from the motorcycle. Although this incident involves a motor vehicle accident, during the course of the ensuing litigation, an allegation has been raised that the individual may have sustained electrical injuries leading to the submission of this report. |
E20230426-01 201912809 |