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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Annual Update to Glendale Water and Power’s Wildfire Mitigation Plan.
1. Resolution adopting Annual Update to Glendale Water and Power’s Wildfire Mitigation Plan.
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Action Item
Approved for May 20, 2025 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Glendale Water and Power Department (GWP) recognize that the potential of loss of property and human life posed by wildfires is a growing concern, and has developed, implemented, and maintained a formal Wildfire Mitigation Plan (“WMP” or “Plan”) since 2019, as required by Senate Bill SB 901. The objective of WMP is to engineer, construct, maintain, and operate the electric transmission and distribution system to minimize the risk of catastrophic wildfire caused by electrical lines and equipment.
The WMP Plan was updated in 2022, 2023 and 2024. This report is being submitted to request the Council’s approval for the updated Plan for 2025. In summary, the plan aims to comply with SB 901 and other related mandates and minimize the risk of igniting and spreading wildfires.
Since SB 901 requires that a comprehensive updated Plan must be developed and reviewed by a qualified independent evaluator every three years, Staff will prepare such a Plan and submit it to the City Council for approval in or about May/June 2026.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the 2025 annual update to GWP’s Wildfire Mitigation Plan.
ANALYSIS
California Senate Bill SB 102, SB 901, and Assembly Bill AB 111 require electric utilities to maintain a formal Wildfire Mitigation Plan (“WMP” or “Plan”) that includes the utility’s strategies and plans to mitigate catastrophic wildfires. SB 901 requires publicly owned utilities, including GWP, to (1) prepare such a plan, (2) have the plan reviewed by a qualified independent evaluator to assess comprehensiveness, (3) present the plan in a noticed public meeting, (4) have the plan adopted, and (5) update the plan annually thereafter.
In 2022, staff updated this Plan comprehensively and contracted with Navigant Consulting, Inc., to review and assess the comprehensiveness of the Plan and 2{{section.number}}c
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incorporated the recommendations from the assessments in finalizing the Plan. The Navigant report confirms that GWP’s Plan meets all regulatory requirements. Staff will prepare the next comprehensive Plan; have it reviewed by an independent evaluator, and submit it to the City Council for adoption in May/June 2026, or sooner, if all regulatory agencies finalize requirements for the electric utilities.
The City’s WMP Committee comprised of members/representatives from different City departments, collaborated to review and prepare the 2025 annual update to the Plan which is attached to this report as Exhibit 1. On April 7, 2025, the WMP Committee had a meeting and reviewed the updated plan approving it to be presented to the Council.
The Plan includes all required and necessary elements of SB 901 including, but not limited to, an accounting of responsibilities of persons responsible for executing the plan, a description of preventive strategies and programs to minimize the risk of its electrical equipment causing catastrophic wildfires, protocols for de-energizing portions of the electrical distribution system, and its plans for vegetation management.
The 2025 annual update to the WM Plan includes projects completed, general statistics about GWP’s service territory, and updates to the following sections:
Objectives
•Additional power line clearance tree trimming measures to clear vegetation from the communication level to the top of the pole.
•Outline of strategies to engineer, construct, and operate the electric transmission and distribution system in such a manner to minimize the risk of catastrophic wildfire caused by electrical lines and equipment.
•Improving the resiliency of GWP’s energy generation and delivery infrastructure. •Prioritizing capital investments in system hardening, operations, and maintenance (O&M) of the equipment, as well as ongoing inspection programs to identify the facilities that are due for replacement.
•Increasing generation reliability by implementing more distributed generation by installing photovoltaic panels and battery storage on city-owned properties Preventive Strategies and Programs
•Enhanced vegetation management practices.
•Expanded asset inspections.
•Fast-acting automatic protection schemes.
•Use of non-wood poles; advanced (radiographic) pole inspections. •Increased wind loading calculation for poles in threat areas to increase integrity. •Wider spacing on cross-arms; Modified construction standards in the Fire Threat Zones.
•Replacing uninsulated (open) overhead conductors with insulated (covered) conductors (tree wires).
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
Not applicable.
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FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed Wildfire Mitigation Plan will cost $4,300,000, and has been included as part of the proposed FY 2025-26 budget. Of this amount, $300,000 is for the system hardening, $2,500,000 is for Tree Trimming Services, and $1,500,000 is for T&D Inspection Program.
Funds for the proposed plan have been included in the proposed budget for FY 2025-26 as outlined below.
Proposed FY 2025-26 Appropriation
Amount Account String Funding Source
$ 300,000 GL: 53300-5830-GWP-0020
PL: GWP00653AA
Electric Depreciation
Fund
$2,500,000 GL: 43110-5820-GWP-4660 Electric Works
Revenue Fund
$1,500,000 GL: 43110-5830-GWP-0020
PL: GWP00643AA
Electric Depreciation
Fund
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
This item is considered a ministerial activity and therefore, not subject to CEQA review.
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
Not applicable.
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ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
1) Not to authorize the requested action herein which will place the City in violation of SB 901.
2) Consider any other alternative not proposed by staff.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Scott K. Mellon, P.E., Acting General Manager - Glendale Water and Power Prepared by:
Daniel Scorza, P.E., Assistant General Manager - Electric Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS / ATTACHMENTS
Exhibit 1: Wildfire Mitigation Plan - Updated 2025