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4 years agoon
SONOMA — A county in Northern California wine country is exploring plans to sue a utility over a massive wildfire last fall that caused losses of $725 million when combined with rolling power shutoffs.
FILE – This Oct. 30, 2019, file photo, shows the charred remains of the Soda Rock Winery framed by the building’s stone facade in the aftermath of the Kincade Fire near Healdsburg, Calif. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020, to hire two law firms to pursue legal action against Pacific Gas & Electric, the nation’s largest utility. The action comes as PG&E is trying to dig out of a financial hole created by a series of catastrophic fires that have been blamed on the utility’s outdated electrical system and managerial negligence. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)
The county’s action comes as PG&E tries to dig out of a financial hole created by a series of catastrophic fires from 2015 to 2018 that have been blamed on the utility’s electrical systems and managerial negligence. Faced with more than $50 billion in claims from fire victims, insurers and government agencies, PG&E has tried to rehabilitate itself in bankruptcy court for the past year. The company has settled most of those claims for a combined $25.5 billion.
Related Story: AP Exclusive: Early PG&E Blackouts Forewarned Later Problems
The ongoing bankruptcy case shields PG&E from other lawsuits until the company emerges with a reorganization plan approved by the court and California regulators. PG&E needs to emerge from bankruptcy protection by June 30 to take advantage of a new state wildfire fund, meaning Sonoma County may have to wait until later this year before any lawsuit can proceed.Hill Hoppers Conquer Dusy-Ershim Trail, Help Maintain the Sierra
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