Carmel Valley Utility Undergrounding: County Accepts $447,072 Credit Transfer and Reduces PG&E Project Scope

CARMEL VALLEY, Monterey County — October 29, 2026. A Monterey County decision changed the scope and financing of a long-planned project to move overhead utility infrastructure underground along Carmel Valley Road. On April 14, 2026, the Board of Supervisors approved a $447,072 transfer of Rule 20A credits from the City of Seaside and authorized Public Works to direct PG&E to proceed with a smaller project.

Where is the revised project?

The county’s Rule 20A Underground Utility District No. 15 originally involved the Carmel Valley Road corridor between the Garland Regional Park area and Pilot Road. The revised scope authorized by supervisors would focus on the segment between Miramonte Road and Boronda Road. Residents should not assume the same construction work is approved across the entire original corridor.

What are Rule 20A credits?

Rule 20A is a utility-undergrounding financing mechanism intended for qualifying projects. Credit transfers between local governments may help finance a project, but a credit allocation does not mean new lines have already been buried or every private property’s service connection is included.

What did supervisors approve?

The county’s legislative file 26-189 records the status report, acceptance of the transfer and authority for Public Works to communicate the revised scope to PG&E. It lists the item as passed April 14. The documentation does not announce current construction dates, individual outages, a completed underground system or final project cost.

What residents should ask next

Questions include the expected design and work schedule, pole-removal sequence, responsibility for individual service connections, roadside work windows and coordination with emergency access. Homeowners should request updated documents from the county and utility before making property decisions.

Primary source: Monterey County Board of Supervisors, File 26-189, passed April 14, 2026. This is a report on a real 2026 board decision, not a claim of completed construction.

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