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U.S. NEWS Friday 22 June 2018

California utility expects to

pay $2.5 billion for wildfires

By PAUL ELIAS victed of six felony charges should help me rebuild,"
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A for failing to properly main- said Marc Selivanoff,
Northern California util- tain a natural gas pipeline whose Santa Rosa home
ity said Thursday it expects that exploded under a was destroyed in the Octo-
to pay at least $2.5 billion neighborhood south of San ber fires. "If there's anything
in connection with dead- Francisco in 2010. PG&E can do, they should
ly wildfires that whipped The explosion killed eight be doing it instead of trying
through wine country last people and wiped out a to dodge the problem."
October — some of them neighborhood in suburban Selivanoff is a plaintiff in In this Oct. 9, 2017, file photo, a firefighter walks near a flaming
ignited by its fallen power San Bruno. The California one of the lawsuits against house in Santa Rosa, Calif.
lines. Public Utilities Commission the utility.q Associated Press
Pacific Gas & Electric Co. also fined PG&E $1.6 billion.
also warned that its liabil- The utility said in a filing
ity could be considerably Thursday with the Securities
higher after state fire offi- and Exchange Commission
cials determine the cause that the $2.5 billion charge
of 21 major fires that devas- tied to the wildfires will be
tated the region last year. recorded in the quarter
The blazes killed 44 people, ending June 30.
destroyed thousands of PG&E said the figure is at
homes and businesses, and the low end of its estimat-
wiped out vineyards, mari- ed liability, which could
juana farms and other ag- exceed $10 billon. The util-
ricultural operations. ity said it has about $840
The California Department million in insurance for the
of Forestry and Fire Protec- fires. PG&E President Gei-
tion has determined the sha Williams said California
cause of 14 fires and found law holds utilities almost
the utility's downed power completely responsible for
lines started several. wildfires started by their
But state officials have not equipment even if they fol-
found what ignited Cali- lowed all safety rules.
fornia's most destructive She called the law "bad
wildfire, which destroyed public policy" and called
more than 5,000 buildings, on lawmakers to change
including 2,800 homes in it to bring the state more
the town of Santa Rosa in line with the rest of the
that was hardest hit by the country, which takes into
deadly flames. account the utilities' safety
PG&E said it is facing more record.
than 200 lawsuits and ex- Williams said extreme
pects more. One of the weather conditions con-
law firms suing the utility tributed to the wildfires.
has hired celebrity activist "Years of drought, extreme
Erin Brockovich, whose le- heat and 129 million dead
gal fight against PG&E over trees have created a 'new
water issues was portrayed normal' for our state that re-
in a 2000 movie starring Ju- quires comprehensive new
lia Roberts. solutions," Williams said.
Prosecutors also are in- Fire victims who lost their
vestigating whether PG&E homes said they are frus-
should be charged with trated with PG&E and its
any crimes if it is found to legal arguments seeking to
have failed to follow state minimize its financial liabil-
safety regulations. ity.
A U.S. judge fined the utility "If somebody contributed
$3 million after it was con- or caused my loss, they