CPUC Staff File Proposed $1.675 Billion Settlement

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 17, 2019 – The California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) Safety and Enforcement Division, following a months-long investigation, today filed a proposed settlement addressing issues involving the role of Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) facilities in igniting fires in its service territory in 2017 and 2018. This includes wildfires that occurred in 2017 in Butte, Calaveras, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Nevada, Sonoma, and Yuba Counties, and the deadly 2018 Camp Fire.

The proposed settlement is available at www.cpuc.ca.gov/wildfiresinfo under “Staff Investigations.”

The proposed settlement between the CPUC’s Safety and Enforcement Division, the CPUC’s Office of the Safety Advocate, the California Coalition of Utility Employees (CUE), and PG&E, prevents the utility from recovering $1.625 billion in wildfire-related costs from ratepayers and would fund an additional $50 million by PG&E shareholders in system enhancements and community engagement initiatives to strengthen its electric operations and maintenance in an effort to mitigate the risk of wildfires. This amounts to a total financial obligation by PG&E shareholders of $1.675 billion.

Today’s filing sets in motion the next steps, which include review by an Administrative Law Judge, a 30-day comment period, and public review by the CPUC’s Commissioners.  Parties have 30 days to comment on the proposed settlement. Any final settlement must be considered and approved by the CPUC’s Commissioners at a public Voting Meeting. Members of the public can comment on the proposed settlement by emailing public.advisor@cpuc.ca.gov and referring to proceeding number I.19-06-015.