Senate Bill 254 was passed on September 19, 2025, during
California's ongoing wildfire season. Enacted as an urgency
statute [Section 75 of S.B. 254], SB 254 immediately impacts how
utilities plan and justify wildfire-risk investments. For renewable
project developers, these changes will influence timelines,
mitigation costs, and reimbursements.
Longer Planning Cycles, Tighter
Coordination
Under SB 254, electrical corporations must now file
comprehensive wildfire mitigation plans at least once every four
years, replacing the previous three-year cycle [Section 53 of S.B.
254]. Beginning January 1, 2027, each utility must also submit a
preliminary mitigation plan by the earlier of one year before its
general rate case application or concurrently with its Risk
Assessment Mitigation filing [Section 53 of S.B. 254]. As a result,
developers should anticipate longer intervals between plan updates,
and plan project schedules around those filing windows.
