The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said it has completed five major reforms intended to lower costs and shorten the time to get utility service for new development; the account comes from an LADWP news release summarizing six months of work under Mayor ’s Executive Directive 19.
The Board of Water and Power Commissioners approved a rule change on Sept. 30 that, the department said, will have LADWP absorb the full cost of underground power line extensions that serve both current and future customers; customers will share costs only when a project requires an unusually high electrical load, and they remain responsible for infrastructure built solely for their own use. The department said the change applies to projects submitted on or after Nov. 15, 2026.
LADWP launched Power Connect, a beta online portal where customers can submit service requests, track project status, message LADWP staff and get guidance from a digital assistant; the department said the portal centralizes items that previously required separate contacts and paperwork.
The department added an Early Conditional Meter Spot approval so builders can lock in a preliminary meter panel location early in construction and plan foundation, grounding and electrical work without waiting until framing is nearly complete. LADWP also updated construction-staging standards in August to give projects more flexibility in staging areas and transformer siting while maintaining safety and reliability.
LADWP said it created a builder advisory group to get feedback from the building and development community, and it has hired roughly 75 new staff for New Business teams, added Electrical Service Representatives, expanded a Concierge Team and stood up a dedicated Line Extension Team. The department said it rolled out online payments in June and ran Power Ready L.A. co-creation workshops with builders in June and September.
LADWP said these changes are already producing results: it reported a 10 percent reduction in late projects compared with the 2026 peak, and it projected the combined reforms will save customers millions of dollars, unlock property value and shorten project timelines by three to six months. The department said a backlog remains and that it will continue overhauling its New Business process end to end.
Allan Marks, president of the Board of Water and Power Commissioners, said, "Executive Directive 19 laid out a clear roadmap for transforming how LADWP approves and energizes new connections, directly supporting affordable housing, electrification, and economic development." , LADWP interim general manager, said, "We moved quickly to make lasting changes to how we connect new customers, and we’re not stopping here."
For more information, LADWP directs readers to LADWP.com/ED19.
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Karen Bass
Mayor of Los Angeles · Democrat
Named once in this story.
Portrait: Office of the Mayor of Los Angeles / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
Local
David W. Hanson
Interim General Manager, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Named once in this story.
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