Politics & Government
Federal Judge Questions PG&E's Wildfire Mitigation Plan
A San Francisco judge who is overseeing PG&E's probation ordered the utility company to respond to his questions by Feb. 22.
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, CA — A federal judge in San Francisco who is overseeing PG&E's
probation in a criminal pipeline safety case issued an order Thursday questioning the utility's new wildfire mitigation plan and asking for more information.
U.S. District Judge William Alsup wrote that under PG&E's plan for clearing vegetation around electrical power lines, "it appears that...it would take more than 10 years for PG&E to complete its work on the lines located within the High Fire Threat Districts alone."
"Is this correct?" Alsup asked.
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He ordered the utility to respond by Feb. 22. He also instructed PG&E to say whether it is complying with a state law that sets required distances between vegetation and power lines of various voltages.
A PG&E spokeswoman was not immediately available for comment.
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PG&E submitted the plan, required by a recent state law, to the California Public Utilities Commission last week. The plan would expand the removal and trimming of trees and other vegetation near electrical lines and increase power shutoffs during windy and dry weather.
- RELATED COVERAGE: To Prevent Wildfires, PG&E Proposes Many More Potential Shut-Offs
Alsup announced in an order in January that he is considering imposing a new probation condition on PG&E in an effort to avert disastrous wildfires like those that swept the North Bay and Butte County in 2017 and 2018.
He said he was considering ordering PG&E to inspect its entire electrical service area in Northern and Central California and either remove all trees that could fall on lines and repair all damaged equipment or turn off power during high winds.
PG&E and the CPUC have argued that such a drastic measure could endanger people and the environment and have told the judge they are working together to improve plans for preventing wildfires and deciding when to shut off power during high winds.
Alsup held a hearing in January, but has not yet issued a ruling on whether to add a probation condition.
He is overseeing PG&E's probation in a case in which it was convicted of violating pipeline safety rules and obstructing a probe of a fatal natural gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno in 2010.
By Bay City News Service
Photo: PG&E's basecamp during the October 2017 North Bay wildfires (Photo credit: Al Francis/Napasonomaphotos.com)
