On April 23, 2026, CUEA Board Members representing SoCalGas, Golden State Water, Southern California Edison, SMUD, LADWP, and PG&E convened to formally establish the Shared Standards Workgroup.
The workgroup was created to develop a common framework for utility emergency preparedness, response, and recovery across California’s utility sectors. The initiative is designed to help utilities strengthen coordination, improve operational consistency, and support regulatory compliance through a shared approach to emergency management.
One area of focus is the development of a utility-sector equivalent to the Incident Command System (ICS), establishing role-based training standards and common terminology that can be applied across utility organizations of varying sizes and disciplines.
The workgroup will also explore opportunities to align utility emergency management practices with existing regulatory requirements, including California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) mandates and State Water Resources Control Board preparedness requirements.
Additional priorities include:
• Shared training standards and professional development pathways
• Resource typing and mutual assistance coordination
• Cross-sector terminology and reporting consistency
• Support for smaller utilities subject to SB 552 preparedness requirements
• Quantifying risk reduction and cost avoidance benefits for utilities and ratepayers
This effort represents a significant step toward building a more coordinated and resilient utility community across California. The workgroup will continue to engage both CUEA members and industry partners as the framework evolves.