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The California Public Utilities Commission on Thursday approved a settlement with Pacific Gas & Electric (NYSE:PCG) in which the company will pay $45M in penalties for the 2021 Dixie Fire in northern California.
Under the settlement terms, the utility will pay $40M in shareholder funding to transition its records to electronic format for distribution patrols and inspections, $2.5M to tribes affected by the fire for remediation and another $2.5M to the state’s General Fund.
The PUC said the agreement was reached after the agency’s Safety and Enforcement Division concluded its investigation and issued an Administrative Consent Order after finding violations.
Officials said the Dixie Fire started on July 13, 2021 after a tree fell and struck energized conductors owned and operated by PG&E (PCG), sparking the second largest wildfire in the state’s history, according to Cal Fire.