San Diego utility agrees to pay $24.5 million over 2007 brush fires
San Diego utility agrees to pay $24.5 million over 2007 brush fires
16 December 2011
published by latimesblogs.latimes.com
USA — San Diego Gas & Electric Co. has agreed to pay $24.5 million to San Diego County in relation to the wind-driven 2007 brush fires that burned more than 200,000 acres and destroyed more than 1,500 homes.
Without admitting fault, the utility agreed to pay $15 million to the county general fund and $9.5 million to a fund to provide fire protection, according to a joint statement Friday by utility officials and the county.
The California Public Utilities Commission has alleged that the Witch, Rice Canyon and Guejito fires were begun by sparking power lines and that SDG&E had maintained the lines poorly. In 2009, the company agreed to pay $14.3 million to the state.
