Judge wants answers from PG&E
Embattled utility questioned over role in Wine Country, Butte County fires
The federal judge supervising PG&E’s probation after the company was convicted in the fatal explosion of a gas pipeline in San Bruno demanded answers on Tuesday from the embattled utility about its role in a series of lethal Northern California infernos.
San Francisco-based PG&E was given until Dec. 31 to answer several questions contained in the order from U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup.
“Any wildfire started by reckless operation or maintenance of PG&E power lines” as well as “any inaccurate, slow, or failed reporting of information about any wildfire by PG&E” were among the areas of interest cited in the judge’s brief order.
In August 2016, a federal jury convicted PG&E on six felony counts for illegal actions in connection with a fatal explosion in September 2010 that killed eight people and destroyed a San Bruno neighborhood. As part of the conviction and sentencing, PG&E was placed on probation for five years, during which time the company was expected to not commit new crimes.
“We are aware of the court’s notice and are currently reviewing,” PG&E said Tuesday in a statement.
State fire investigators have determined that PG&E’s equipment caused multiple fires in October 2017 in the North Bay Wine
Country and nearby regions, some of them fatal blazes — while the company was on probation. In multiple instances, fire investigators referred the matters to local district attorneys for potential prosecution.
“It is refreshing to see that the federal courts are taking an active role in possibly criminal behavior by PG&E in connection with the wildfires,” said state Sen. Jerry Hill, a longtime PG&E critic whose district includes San Bruno and parts of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.
Investigators have yet to determine a cause for the disastrous set of fatal firestorms in Butte County, an area where PG&E operates numerous power lines and electrical equipment. The company has told state regulators that a transmission line malfunctioned near the origin of the fire.
Alsup’s order appears to require information and answers regarding the utility’s role in both the Wine Country blazes of 2017 and
this year’s Butte County inferno, known as the Camp Fire. The information is being sought from both PG&E and a special monitor whose authority was established by the federal court when PG&E was sentenced for its San Bruno-related crimes. The wording of the order indicates that it applies to any fire that began after the company’s sentencing in early 2017.
“An accurate and complete statement of the role,
if any, of PG&E in causing and reporting the recent Camp Fire in Butte County and all other wildfires in California since the judgment” was among the responses that Alsup demanded in his order.
It’s not clear what action, if any, Alsup might take if the court finds PG&E violated its probation.
A transcript of a December 2017 federal court hearing indicates that Alsup already was interested in
PG&E’s safety culture and electricity operations in connection with the Wine County wildfires. That interest arose even though PG&E’s crimes related to San Bruno were connected to the company’s natural gas operations.
In the court order Tuesday, the judge also requested answers from the monitor.
“What specific steps has the monitor herein taken to monitor and improve PG&E safety and reporting with respect to power lines and wildfires?” the order asked.
Hill demanded Tuesday that top state justice officials begin a probe of PG&E’s role in the wildfires.
“I would hope that the state Attorney General also look at any potential criminal activity on the part of PG&E,” Hill said.