FOLSOM, Calif.—A electric utility line crew based in Redding left for Southern California early today to help rebuild electric power lines destroyed by fire.

    San Diego Gas & Electric Company on Wednesday requested a crew from Western to assist with repair of the company’s electrical system damaged by the wind-driven fires.
 
    Western Area Power Administration is providing a five-man crew from Redding with a digger derrick, a bucket truck, two utility trucks, a cargo/pole trailer, a single-reel trailer and the foreman’s pickup. The crew consists of Scott Hicks, Foreman II lineman, and linemen Dave Floyd, Dave Horton, Darren New and Ryan Yeager. The Redding crew will be rebuilding sections of power line destroyed by fire and doing other work to restore the system.

    The crew is en route to Southern California and will start repairs Friday. SDG&E has identified at least a week’s worth of work for the crew.

    Western Area Power Administration annually markets and transmits more than 10,000 megawatts of power from hydroelectric powerplants owned and operated by the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 15 western and central states. It is part of the Department of Energy.