SAN JOSE >> PG&E is eyeing 10 projects that could curb intentional or accidental power failures in San Jose neighborhoods that are on the edges of high-risk wildfire zones.

Some of that work was underway this week on Camden Avenue near Almaden Expressway as the utility worked Wednesday to replace a power pole and create connections for equipment to existing power lines. The endeavor is expected to be completed by June.

“I think that it’s great that PG&E is trying to reduce power outages,” said Dan Kennedy, who was watching crews work a few blocks from his San Jose residence.

PG&E is spending about $11 million for the upgrade on Camden Avenue, PG&E spokesperson Stephanie Magallon estimated. The work is “under budget,” Magallon said.

PG&E, however, didn’t provide a cost estimate for the other nine projects. The utility didn’t say whether additional rate requests would be needed to finance these additional plans or whether the money was already available for the work. A timetable wasn’t immediately known.

The neighborhood where PG&E crews labored this week is near hilly wildlands on the edge of the Almaden Valley in south San Jose.

“This and other projects will all interface with the hills and areas of high-fire risk,” said Teresa Alvarado, PG&E vice president for the utility’s South Bay and Central Coast region.

Close to 10,000 customers will see a significant reduction in outages during winter storms, high-fire risk conditions and heat waves, according to PG&E.

“We have installed more devices to reduce outages affecting our customers,” Alvarado said.

PG&E hopes to reduce the number of people who would lose power as a result of Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings — intentional shutdowns of electricity circuits to curb the chance equipment would cause a fire.

In the south San Jose neighborhood where PG&E was working this week, up to 4,940 customers would typically be subject to an intentional power failure.

PG&E believes that number, once work is complete, will be roughly 690 customers at most.

Meanwhile, the utility is under fire for a series of rate hikes, including several increases that the California Public Utilities Commission approved in 2024.

Consumer groups have harshly criticized PG&E’s aggressive push to bury power lines in numerous sections of the company’s service territory in northern and central California.

Organizations such as The Utility Reform Network believe PG&E’s push to bury electrical lines is too costly. PG&E argues that undergrounding quests are a better and safer option in the long term.

Despite the CPUC’s approval for a string of rate increases, PG&E customers in January experienced only a small rise in their monthly bills.

“My PG&E bills keep going up,” Kennedy said. “But I guess it has to be done if it makes things safer.”