LADWP reports fewer outages, faster project approvals
Power staff said a heat wave left about 2,000 of 1.6 million customers without service, while new process changes aim to speed multifamily and commercial hookups.
Two hosts walk through the week’s edition in conversation — power system updates, community features montage (watts towers, la, and what’s coming next. Generated by Aware, from this week’s verified summaries.
Crews rebuilt 200 poles after the Rock Fire, while staff pointed to design changes and new hires meant to cut weeks from development timelines.
The grid held through the heat.
At Los Angeles City Hall, power staff said an extraordinary summer heat wave caused outages for about 2,000 customers out of 1.6 million, far below prior heat waves when as many as 60,000 customers were out at once. Staff credited ongoing asset replacement and crews handling major jobs across the system. They paired that performance update with changes under the Ready LA follow initiative, including smaller staging requirements for some projects, standard design templates, a conditional meter spot process, and newly hired electric service representatives whose training had just begun.
The development changes were aimed at a familiar complaint: long waits for multifamily and commercial service. Staff said older staging rules had required large work areas that took usable space away from projects. Standard templates are meant to cut down on repeated revisions, and conditional meter spots are intended to move early construction along sooner. Board leadership said it wants monthly quantitative reporting and clearer performance measures for active new-business projects.
Staff then turned to reliability and longer-term supply. They said the Rock Fire in Owens Valley destroyed 200 poles and hit two transmission lines and a higher-voltage distribution line, but service was restored quickly and the poles were rebuilt within a week. They added that the Scattergood air appeal was denied, with a contract award expected later through an RFP, and said the Notch Peak Solar deal secured $150 million in savings over 30 years.
Community features montage (Watts Towers, LA Public Library services, backpack giveaway, AB 2318 advocacy, arts workshop, fire recovery town hall, National Night Out, abandoned vehicle program, Harbor pool party, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium)
Before the meeting, the city broadcast a wide-angle portrait of Los Angeles. The montage moved from Watts Towers and library services to backpack giveaways, arts workshops, fire recovery meetings, Harbor recreation, and exhibits at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium.
Several segments focused on basic help close to home. The Los Angeles Public Library was presented as a regular connection point for free phones, birth certificates, medical care, job help, and other services. In Council District 1, a backpack giveaway handed out 1,700 backpacks, while another segment highlighted free workshops at the McGroarty Arts Center.
Other pieces centered on public safety and neighborhood quality of life. A Boyle Heights fire recovery town hall featured residents describing smoke, odors, lost work, and requests for air purifiers, masks, and a cleanup plan. The montage then shifted to National Night Out, LADOT's abandoned-vehicle removals, a Wilmington pool party, and Cabrillo Marine Aquarium new Jelly Lab and life-support systems.
Speaker attacks council, demands audit
An in-person speaker used public comment to accuse councilmembers of incompetence, racism, and misuse of funds, while demanding a resignation and an audit tied to Destination Crenshaw. The speaker referenced Items 10, 13, and 14 before the City Attorney cut in and moved the comment along.
leadership change
City spotlights services before meeting
A pre-meeting segment promoted city programs ranging from anti-trafficking enforcement and pet adoptions to job centers, emergency alerts, hydration stations, recreation events, and library reading volunteers. It also previewed cultural events, noted a Verizon settlement, and highlighted Griffith Observatory and arts programming.
litigation
Valley water projects open, fill stations return
Staff said two groundwater remediation facilities are now open in the San Fernando Valley as part of a nearly $700 million effort backed by $308 million in state grants. They said free recycled water fill stations have reopened for summer at two sites for customers with a LADWP bill ID.
large dollar figure ($700,000,000)
LADWP names water deputy, flags cuts
Anselmo Collins announced Jonathan Leung as Assistant General Manager for the water system and said he began the job that day after 35 years with the department. Collins also said new Colorado River operating plans call for 1.25 million acre-feet in annual reductions for 2027 and 2028.
large dollar figure ($1,250,000)
What we didn’t fit in this Sundays edition
Los Angeles had 118 more items this week. Here are sixfour — the rest are on Aware.
- GOVERNANCECouncilmember announcements and recognitions (MLK events, new public space, Casa Mexico hospitality house, homeless count, literacy event, cleanup and Christmas tree recycling, recognition of staff/community member, Olympics preparation, and memorial). Councilmembers delivered announcements and recognitions including MLK Day events across the city, a new public space (Piazza Miramare) in the Harbor area, a Casa Mexico hospitality house planned for six weeks starting in June, reminders about the upcoming homeless count, a “love literacy” event, a Pico Union cleanup, Christmas tree recycling instructions, recognition of a longtime civic figure affected by the Palisades fire, Olympics-related updates, and a memorial statement for a staff member’s family loss.
- GOVERNANCEItem 23 (special) recognition of Sergeant Carrillo and street safety emphasis (approved). Councilmember Padilla recognized the life of Sergeant Carrillo, describing community service, Marine Corps enlistment, and a fatal accident on December 12, 2025. Padilla emphasized memorializing the individual and improving street safety to prevent avoidable tragedies. The item passed with 13 ayes.
- GOVERNANCEPublic Works permit fee increases approved. The committee approved fee adjustments for the Bureau of Street Services Investigation and Enforcement Division to meet cost recovery and Proposition 26 requirements. Staff projected about $2.8 million in added revenue, while members questioned impacts on special events and staffing assumptions.
- GOVERNANCEAmendment to CAO report: FY 2020-27 First Construction Projects Report—CDBG transfer for Ziegler Estate Building restoration (phase two). The committee considered and adopted an amendment to Item 2 replacing the first paragraph of the discussion item to specify a $2,006,190 CDBG transfer for phase two restoration of the Ziegler Estate Building at 4601 N. Figueroa Street, contingent on written approval and federal regulatory clearances including NEPA.
- GOVERNANCEItem 26: funding movement for active transportation safety projects near Griffith Park. Council considered item 26 as a special item. Councilmember Raman described moving money and adding funds for two projects: the Los Feliz Boulevard Parkway cycle track and a Crystal Springs Road redesign to create a protected pathway for cyclists and pedestrians. Raman supported the projects but expressed frustration with delays and bureaucracy. The item passed unanimously.
- GOVERNANCEFire impacts and recovery concerns: odor, smoke exposure, business disruption, and cleanup pace (Boyle Heights referenced). Residents and business owners described smoke and odor impacts after a fire, including shelter-in-place orders, difficulty breathing, headaches, inability to open windows, need for air purifiers, loss of customers, and frustration with slow cleanup and lack of clear timelines or plans.
- GOVERNANCEItem 24: special consideration and approval (mobile laundry service funding for Chinatown). Council took up item 24 as a special item. Councilmember Hernandez stated Chinatown lacks a grocery store and a laundromat and said the motion moves money to fund a mobile laundry service as a first step toward laundromat access. The item passed with 12 ayes.
- GOVERNANCEIn-person public comment: disruptive speaker; LADBS appeal delay; Item 27 bungalow court subdivision support; LA CityView/Channel 35 contractor concerns; anti-Black hate and housing safety concerns; Skid Row cooling stations and violence observations. In-person public comment included: a disruptive speaker using profanity and referencing multiple items; a request for Council action on a delayed LADBS appeal report; support for Item 27 bungalow court subdivision consistent with SB 1123; multiple speakers urging Council oversight of LA CityView/Channel 35 contractor changes; speakers raising anti-Black harassment and safety concerns; and observations about Skid Row cooling stations and violence.
- GOVERNANCELAPD crisis response training grant approved. The committee approved a DOJ COPS grant to expand de-escalation and crisis response training for patrol officers. LAPD said about 720 officers would be trained using crisis negotiation principles, scenario-based and virtual reality tools, and curriculum integration beyond state minimums.
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