PG&E Admits its Power Lines Could Have Caused 2 Fires in California

Struggling utility company PG&E admitted this week that its power lines may have started two wildfires in the San Francisco Bar area over the past weekend.

Recently the company had created widespread blackouts to prevent downed lines from starting fires during very windy weather.

PG&E said the fires started in a section of town where lights had remained on as the sites were not designed as a high fire risk.

The PG&E report was given to state regulators and match fires that destroyed a tennis club and forced evacuations in Lafayette. The city is about 20 miles (32 kilometers) east of San Francisco.

Around 2.5 million people had their lights out in the last blackout, nearly all of them in PG&E’s territory in Northern and central California. By Monday evening less than half of these people had their service back.

PG&E said that 1.5 million people in 29 counties will be hit with more shut-offs starting Tuesday because another round of strong winds is expected.

The Public Utilities Commission is aiming to open a formal investigation into the blackouts within the next month.
If rules are found to be broken, they can impose fines up to $100,000 per violation per day, said spokeswoman for the commission Terrie Prosper.

It was just last week that PG&E admitted in a report that a transmission tower may have caused a Sonoma County fire that has forced nearly 200,000 people to evacuate.

California is battling fires up and down the state with a recent fire breaking out near the Getty Museum in Los Angeles. Many have been evacuated including NBA star Lebron James and his family.

Disclaimer: We have no position in PG&E Corporation (NYSE: PCG) and have not been compensated for this article.