PG&E to pay $565 million to victims in San Bruno pipeline explosion

[Eugene]

Source: Los Angeles Times

PG&E to pay $565 million to victims in San Bruno pipeline explosion

By Ari Bloomekatz
September 10, 2013, 3:50 p.m.

Utility giant Pacific Gas & Electric Co. will pay out $565 million in legal settlements and other claims stemming from the 2010 natural gas explosion in San Bruno, Calif., that killed eight people and devastated a neighborhood, company officials said this week.

The blast in September 2010 also injured dozens and destroyed 38 homes when a 54-year-old pipeline exploded underneath the San Francisco suburb.

Brittany Chord, a spokesperson for the utility, said settlements were reached with 347 victims of the incident on Friday and Monday and had previously reached settlements with 152 others. Two cases remain.

The $565 million includes $455 million that the utility had already pledged and $110 million in recent settlements and claims, Chord said.

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Read more: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-pge-settlement-san-bruno-pipeline-20130910,0,7499820.story

[tularetom]

1. Actually, PG&E ratepayers will have to pony up the $565 mil

because I'd guess the CPUC will allow the company to claim the settlement as a legitimate cost of operations so that they can pass it along to their customers.

This is what you can expect with privatization. Even "regulated" monopolies find a way to screw the public.

[hunter]

2. Shall we talk about Fukushima here or not?

How about Lac-Megantic?

On high demand days nearly 100% of my household energy comes from natural gas.

On low demand days it's hydroelectric and Diablo Canyon.