California regulators have proposed fining Pacific Gas & Electric more than $155 million for sparking a 2020 wildfire in Northern California
FILE - A house burns on Platina Road at the Zogg Fire near Ono, Calif., on Sep. 27, 2020. California utility regulators on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022, proposed penalizing Pacific Gas & Electric more than $155 million in fines for its role in starting the 2020 Zogg Fire in Shasta County that destroyed hundreds of homes and left four people dead.
PG&E already faces criminal charges in the Zogg fire, which state fire officials said began when a pine tree in Shasta County fell into a PG&E distribution line. In June, theto four counts of involuntary manslaughter charged by the Shasta County district attorney's office. The California Public Utilities Commission said in its proposed order that the utility failed to remove two pine trees marked for removal, resulting in one falling. The commission also ordered the utility to submit a corrective action plan to ensure trees marked for removal are logged into a database and removed.
PG&E said in a statement that it has resolved civil claims with Shasta County and is committed to helping the community recover. It is reviewing the proposed order and could request a hearing. “We share the CPUC’s commitment to improve safety, and we believe any potential financial penalties should be directed for the benefit of our customers, and to keeping our hometowns safe,” the statement read.Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.