The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) conducts ongoing oversight of the state’s energy infrastructure to ensure safety and reliability for residents. This includes both regularly scheduled inspections and staff investigations following specific incidents.
CPUC staff routinely inspect a range of energy facilities, such as power plants, energy storage systems, electric transmission lines, substations, distribution lines, and natural gas pipelines. These inspections are planned in advance with the goal of identifying potential safety issues, verifying compliance with regulations at both state and federal levels, and preventing incidents before they occur.
In addition to these regular checks, CPUC staff also carry out investigations after outages or other events that meet certain reporting criteria. Staff may also initiate reviews if circumstances suggest further examination is necessary. The aim of these investigations is to determine what happened during an incident, assess whether safety rules were followed, and recommend steps to reduce future risks.
During an investigation, CPUC personnel collect data and records, conduct site visits or field inspections, interview utility employees and other relevant parties, and evaluate compliance with laws or safety standards. If immediate action is needed due to identified issues, corrections are made right away; other problems must be resolved by set deadlines under CPUC supervision.
The CPUC has enforcement authority that allows staff to issue citations for violations found during inspections or investigations. In more serious cases where significant concerns arise, staff can request that the CPUC Commissioners open a formal investigation—potentially resulting in penalties against utilities.
According to the commission: “Through inspections, investigations, and enforcement, the CPUC works to hold utilities accountable and support the safe, reliable delivery of energy throughout California.”
