CalFire Holds PG&E Responsible For 17 Major Fires In Past 2 Yrs; Utility Responds With Blackout Plan [View all]

Up to 5 million California customers could temporarily lose power this year in the name of wildfire prevention if regulators approve Pacific Gas & Electric's $2.3 billion safety proposal submitted Wednesday. PG&E unveiled the preventive blackout strategy for the first time late last year, getting regulatory permission to turn out the lights to 570,000 customers living in wildfire-prone areas during high-danger weather. In a regulatory filing with the California Public Utilities Commission, PG&E asked for permission to cut power during wildfire threats throughout its entire system serving 5.4 million customers in the northern and central parts of the state.

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A federal judge who said he's skeptical of PG&E's safety commitment also demanded the wildfire plan. U.S. District Judge William Alsup is threatening to impose sweeping prevention measures on the utility, proposals PG&E said could cost as much $150 billion. The utility said Wednesday its plan will cost between $1.7 billion and $2.3 billion. Alsup ruled last month that PG&E's response to a 2017 wildfire violated probation terms included in its felony conviction for a deadly 2010 natural pipeline explosion in a San Francisco suburb. In response, Alsup proposed PG&E workers inspect, document and rate every inch of its 2,400 square-mile electrical system and remove or trim trees threatening to touch equipment and start fires. PG&E said that could require removing up to 100 million trees. Alsup said he will determine PG&E's sentence later.

On Wednesday, PG&E proposed removing 375,000 trees this year after cutting down 160,000 last year. PG&E also said it would increase in-depth pole inspections from 9,400 last year to 40,600 this year and building 200 weather stations in addition to the 200 existing stations. The utility said it also planned to bury underground or wrap in insulation 150 miles of bare wire next year and 7,100 miles over the next decade.

State fire authorities blamed PG&E's equipment for starting 17 major wildfires in the last two years. The San Francisco-based utility is facing more than 1,000 wildfire-related lawsuits. The utility filed for bankruptcy last month, saying the lawsuits could cost more than $30 billion.

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https://abcnews.go.com/beta-story-container/US/wireStory/pacific-gas-electric-vows-improve-wildfire-prevention-60899010