California's electric utilities under investigation again for starting deadly wildfires
New law could protect utility shareholders despite electric companies' suspected role in starting fires.
MARK HAND
NOV 13, 2018, 11:50 AM
California’s two largest electric utility companies are under investigation again for their role in starting major wildfires in the state. But the companies are probably less worried about how the devastating fires could impact their finances after state lawmakers passed legislation earlier this year to protect the companies and their shareholders from full financial liability.
Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), already facing lawsuits and fines for its role in causing devastating wildfires in previous years, owns the transmission lines that may have caused the Camp Fire in Northern California, the deadliest wildfire in California history.
And in Southern California, state regulators are investigating the possible role played by Southern California Edison (SoCalEd) in the massive Woolsey Fire currently burning in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, California.
California lawmakers, however, are growing frustrated with electric utilities’ alleged role in the state’s wildfires. State Sen. Jerry Hill (D) is looking into legislation that would break up the state’s investor-owned utilities or turn them into public power utilities following reports about how equipment owned by PG&E and SoCalEd may have started the Camp and Woolsey fires, KQED reported Sunday.
https://thinkprogress.org/californias-electric-utilities-under-investigation-again-for-starting-deadly-wildfires-78c487ab70e6/
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Public or Private ...........................a history of utilities
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/blackout/regulation/timeline.html
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