Huge California Utility May Have Caused LA Wildfire
L.A. County sued Southern California Edison over claims the utility caused the Eaton Fire, which burned 14,000 acres, destroyed almost 10,000 structures, and killed 17 people between January 7 and January 31.
According to The Guardian, “The lawsuit seeks to recover costs and damages sustained from the blaze, including the devastation to community infrastructure, the region’s environment and public health.”
Southern California Edison
Southern California Edison supplies power to 15 million people in 50,000 square miles across central, coastal and Southern California. It is part of Edison International, which had $18 billion of revenue in the fourth quarter of last year. At the time of the earnings announcement, Pedro J. Pizarro, president and CEO of Edison International.said “SCE continues to make progress as it works diligently on reconstruction after the Eaton and Palisades fires.”
The legal risks are real. “In early 2019, PG&E filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after fires caused by its powerlines burned hundreds of thousands of acres in Northern California and led to more than 100 deaths.”
Relationship To Older Fires
While it is too early to speculate about an outcome, the lawsuit appears to be based on claims similar to those in 2019.
Utilities in areas with wildfire risk are caught in an impossible dilemma. They have tens of thousands of electric lines above ground. It is too large a system to completely police for damage. Burying the lines underground would cost billions of dollars if it can be done.
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