Pacific Gas & Electric penalized $1.4 billion for 3,798 violations
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) September 2 levied $1.4 billion in penalties against Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) for thousands of violations leading up to a September 9, 2010 pipeline explosion in San Bruno, Calif.that killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes, according to a press release from the CPUC. It is the largest safety related penalty ever levied by the CPUC.
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. will appeal the penalty in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. PG&E officials said most of any penalty should be spent on improving the company's gas-transmission system.