- 2007
- SDG&E lines ignited the Witch, Guejito & Rice fires
- ~$2.4B
- Paid to settle those fire claims
- $379M
- SDG&E tried to bill ratepayers — denied by the CPUC & courts
SDG&E's documented record
State regulators concluded the 2007 Witch, Guejito, and Rice fires were caused by arcing from SDG&E's own power lines during strong Santa Ana winds. Powerline-caused fires that October burned roughly 334 square miles of Southern California. [1] [2]
SDG&E paid about $2.4 billion to settle claims, then sought to pass roughly $379 million of remaining costs on to ratepayers — the CPUC and the courts refused. The company also agreed to a $14.4 million penalty in 2009. [1]
A new ignition source in fire country
The corridor sits in a high-wind, fire-prone region the CPUC maps for elevated-to-extreme fire threat. Adding a new high-voltage line and energized conductors here introduces fresh ignition risk in exactly the kind of terrain where catastrophic powerline fires have already happened. [2]
Sources
- [1]SDG&E 2007 Witch/Guejito/Rice fires - cause, liability, penalty, rate-recovery denial — East County Magazine / Patch / SEC (Sempra 8-K)
- [2]CPUC Fire-Threat Maps & High Fire Threat District (Tier 2/Tier 3) — CPUC