HAVE OPPORTUNITY. TEO: BREAKING NEWS. THE SONOMA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY FILED 33 CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST PG&E FOR 2019 WILDFIRES. IDA CHARGED THE UTILITY WITH FELONY MISDEMEANOR COUNTS IN THE KINCADE FIRE. FIRE OFFICIALS SAY THE COMPANY’S TRANSMISSION LINES SPARKED A FIRE THAT DESTROYED HUNDREDS OF HOMES AND EVACUATED THOUSANDS, BURNING NEARLY 77,000 ACRES. THE 33 CHARGES INCLUDING RECKLESSLY CAUSING A FIRE WITH
PG&E fined by California's utility commission over 2019 handling of safety shutoffs
Updated: 9:55 AM PDT May 27, 2021
California's Public Utilities Commission announced Wednesday that it is fining Pacific Gas & Electric Company for what it is calling "flawed implementations" of its power shutoffs system in 2019.In a release, the CPUC said it is fining PG&E $106 million for violating guidelines during the utility giant's planned power shutoffs in the fall of 2019. Of that total fine, $86 million was offset from bill credits "that were already provided to customers by PG&E shareholders at the Governor's direction."The total PG&E will pay now because of those credits will be $20 million. The CPUC said the remaining sum will be paid by shareholders through customer bill credits and a contribution to a backup portable battery program.The decision comes after the CPUC in late 2019 issued an order to PG&E to explain why it should not be sanctioned for how it handled its safety shutoffs, known as Public Safety Power Shutoffs."The decision penalizes PG&E to deter future violations and require accountability for PGE's poor implementation of these PSPS events. The issues addressed included the failure of PG&E's website, which was unavailable or non-functional during the majority of the duration of a PSPS event, the inaccuracy of PG&E's online outage maps, the inaccessibility of secure data transfer portals to PG&E's public safety partners, and PG&E's failure to provide advanced notification of PSPS events to approximately 50,000 customers and 1,100 Medical Baseline customers during three PSPS events," CPUC said in a statement.The decision to fine PG&E will become final unless an appeal is filed within 30 calendar days.In a statement to KSBW 8's sister station, KCRA 3, PG&E said, "In 2019, we fell short of what our customers expect and deserve. We continue to listen to our customers and act on what we hear. We have incorporated feedback from customers, from local, state and tribal officials, and from other wildfire safety experts. In 2020, PSPS events were 55 percent smaller on average than similar events in 2019, and we restored power after severe weather has passed more than 40 percent faster in 2020 compared to 2019."Video from previous broadcast.
California's Public Utilities Commission announced Wednesday that it is fining Pacific Gas & Electric Company for what it is calling "flawed implementations" of its power shutoffs system in 2019.
In a release, the CPUC said it is fining PG&E $106 million for violating guidelines during the utility giant's planned power shutoffs in the fall of 2019. Of that total fine, $86 million was offset from bill credits "that were already provided to customers by PG&E shareholders at the Governor's direction."
The total PG&E will pay now because of those credits will be $20 million. The CPUC said the remaining sum will be paid by shareholders through customer bill credits and a contribution to a backup portable battery program.
The decision comes after the CPUC in late 2019 issued an order to PG&E to explain why it should not be sanctioned for how it handled its safety shutoffs, known as Public Safety Power Shutoffs.
"The decision penalizes PG&E to deter future violations and require accountability for PGE's poor implementation of these PSPS events. The issues addressed included the failure of PG&E's website, which was unavailable or non-functional during the majority of the duration of a PSPS event, the inaccuracy of PG&E's online outage maps, the inaccessibility of secure data transfer portals to PG&E's public safety partners, and PG&E's failure to provide advanced notification of PSPS events to approximately 50,000 customers and 1,100 Medical Baseline customers during three PSPS events," CPUC said in a statement.
The decision to fine PG&E will become final unless an appeal is filed within 30 calendar days.
In a statement to KSBW 8's sister station, KCRA 3, PG&E said, "In 2019, we fell short of what our customers expect and deserve. We continue to listen to our customers and act on what we hear. We have incorporated feedback from customers, from local, state and tribal officials, and from other wildfire safety experts. In 2020, PSPS events were 55 percent smaller on average than similar events in 2019, and we restored power after severe weather has passed more than 40 percent faster in 2020 compared to 2019."
Video from previous broadcast.