The City of Palo Alto Utilities (CPAU) has undertaken a major infrastructure project to move overhead utility lines underground in the State-designated high fire threat area, known as the Foothills. This is a proactive step aimed at reducing wildfire risk and enhancing power reliability in the area.
The multiyear project, part of the Utilities Wildfire Mitigation Plan, targets neighborhoods most vulnerable to wind-driven fires and falling power lines. By relocating electric and communications infrastructure underground, utility officials will drastically cut the chance of electrical equipment sparking fires during extreme weather events.
“The Foothills face some of the greatest wildfire risks in our community,” said Alan Kurotori, Utilities Director. “This undergrounding effort will not only make our system safer but also improve service reliability for customers in this forested area at high elevation.”
Overview of the Palo Alto Foothills Utilities Undergrounding Project
The Palo Alto Foothills utilities undergrounding project scope of work involves:
• Undergrounding approximately nine miles of electric overhead distribution lines and utility-owned fiber optic cable;
• Substructure construction, including installing conduits, boxes, and pad-mounted equipment for electric and fiber lines;
• Installing underground high-voltage electric and new fiber-optic cable;
• Removing overhead utility poles, overhead high-voltage conductors, legacy fiber lines, and other pole-mounted equipment;
• Total project cost around $11 million.
Initial scoping and planning for the Foothills undergrounding project began in 2021. CPAU has now removed all overhead electric lines and fiber optic cables in the project area. Currently crews are removing the wooden poles while completing installation of the final portions of underground substructures. The project is scheduled to be completed by June 2026.
Utilities Wildfire Mitigation Plan
CPAU’s Wildfire Mitigation Plan outlines safety protocols, emergency preparedness, emergency response, and public outreach activities for the Foothills.
“Undergrounding utilities in the Foothills has been a priority for us to mitigate against the risk of wildfire caused by electrical equipment,” Kurotori said.
The Palo Alto City Council and Utilities Advisory Commission are credited for their leadership in approving the project and committing significant financial support. These efforts protect residents and property from wildfire risk, as well as protect the city from liability and inverse condemnation.
“This is a critical investment in our city’s safety and resilience,” said Mayor Ed Lauing. “By taking steps now to underground lines in high-risk zones, we’re protecting our residents, homes, and open spaces for decades to come.”
The California Wildfire Safety Advisory Board (WSAB), a seven-member board appointed by the State’s Governor to oversee all electric utilities within California, recently completed its review of statewide utilities wildfire mitigation plans. WSAB commended CPAU in its public report for substantially reducing wildfire risk by undergrounding overhead utility lines in the high fire threat district.
The WSAB also applauded the use of an innovative AI-based network of sensors to monitor air quality, temperature, and chemicals for early detection and wildfire alerts. WSAB members and staff acknowledged that this technology is not widely used by either publicly owned utilities or investor-owned utilities.
Communicating the Value of Public Power
Prior to beginning the utilities undergrounding project, CPAU had established a regular cadence of communication with customers in the Foothills about the potential for Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) during wildfire season if weather and other conditions indicated a risk of ignition due to contact with electrical equipment.
These connections were helpful for establishing trust early among customers to better inform them about the ongoing work the city is doing for wildfire mitigation, including the benefits of utilities undergrounding in their area.
CPAU’s messaging addresses what customers can expect from the city in terms of wildfire prevention, safety inspections, early warning notification, emergency response, and power restoration, as well as how residents can prepare for wildfire emergencies. Each year CPAU directly communicates with customers in the Foothills through email, letters, door hangers, door-to-door visits, and community meetings.
When planning the utilities undergrounding for Foothills fire mitigation, CPAU established a dedicated webpage to share a description of the project, scope of work, and updates as the project progressed.
Kurotori said, “we found that community members were appreciative of our proactive efforts and enjoyed hearing updates on the progress. In addition to public meetings and reports, we have kept our elected and appointed officials apprised of our efforts, as we know they are excellent ambassadors within the community.”
Public outreach about utilities undergrounding has included town hall meetings, engagement with the local media, video interviews with staff, use of social media, and email newsletters, especially during Public Power Week, the first week in October each year.
This year CPAU is celebrating the 125th anniversary of its electric utility, “so it is particularly relevant to highlight the innovative work we are doing to upgrade our electric infrastructure to safeguard and benefit our community partners,” Kurotori noted.
Raising Awareness of Wildfire Risks
Palo Alto, like many communities in California, faces increasing wildfire risks due to climate change, prolonged drought, and human activity in the wildland-urban interface; areas where residential housing exists within lands prone to fast moving wildfires.
The city held a series of public engagement and public meetings in early 2025 to raise awareness of local wildfire risks and the importance of wildfire preparedness. Community members were invited to participate to understand actions being taken by the city as well as individual actions they can take to prepare.
Staff share emergency preparedness and safety information with utilities customers throughout the year utilizing a variety of communication channels. Interviews and town halls with subject matter experts and local officials help the community understand the threats associated with wildfire and how to better prepare for emergencies.
CPAU will continue direct outreach to customers in the Foothills about the utilities undergrounding project and PSPS events, although the likelihood of the utility needing to implement a PSPS has been significantly reduced due to its undergrounding efforts.
