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PacifiCorp has agreed to pay $575 million to resolve the federal government\u2019s claims for damages stemming from six wildfires in Oregon and California in 2020 and 2022, federal officials announced Friday, in the utility\u2019s latest multimillion-dollar payout related to the deadly blazes.<\/p>\n
The settlement resolves the federal government\u2019s claims that PacifiCorp\u2019s electrical lines negligently started four fires in Oregon in 2020 and two fires in California in 2020 and 2022, the Justice Department said. The money will help restore some of the 290,000 acres (117,359 hectares) of public land that burned. It will also help repay the government for the cost of fighting the fires, which the department said was \u201ccritical because the U.S. Forest Service now spends more than half of its budget on wildfire suppression annually.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThis settlement served the Department\u2019s longstanding policy of holding individuals and corporations responsible for damages caused by wildfires. Every fire impacting federal lands, no matter the size, is a priority,\u201d U.S. Attorney Eric Grant of the Eastern District of California said in a statement.<\/p>\n
PacifiCorp said the settlement demonstrates its ongoing commitment to resolve claims related to the fires. It has so far settled claims totaling over $2 billion, according to its statement.<\/p>\n
The utility has faced a\u00a0series of lawsuits\u00a0over the 2020 blazes in Oregon. In other cases that have gone to trial in the state, juries in\u00a0multiple verdicts\u00a0have ordered PacifiCorp to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to victims.<\/p>\n
In 2023, an Oregon jury\u00a0found PacifiCorp liable\u00a0for negligently failing to cut power to its 600,000 customers despite warnings from top fire officials. The jury determined it acted negligently and willfully and should have to pay punitive and other damages \u2014 a decision that applied to a class of property owners. More than a thousand class members have cases set for trial in 2026 and 2027.<\/p>\n
PacifiCorp\u2019s appeal of the case is still making its way through state court.<\/p>\n
The 2020 Labor Day weekend fires\u00a0were among the worst natural disasters\u00a0in Oregon\u2019s history. They killed 11 people, burned more than a million acres (404,686 hectares) and destroyed thousands of homes.<\/p>\n
In California, the 2020 Slater Fire and 2022\u00a0McKinney Fire\u00a0also claimed several lives.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, PacifiCorp announced that it will sell its wind, natural gas generation and distribution assets and infrastructure in the state of Washington to Portland General Electric Company for $1.9 billion to help stabilize its finances. Even though it is appealing wildfire judgments against it, PacifiCorp has had to post bonds with the court, which has put a crunch on its cash flow.<\/p>\n
Darin Carroll, PacifiCorp\u2019s CEO, said Tuesday the move would \u201cimprove the company\u2019s financial stability while simplifying our operations\u201d and help ensure reliable service for customers in Washington.<\/p>\n
The utility\u2019s parent company, Warren Buffett\u2019s Berkshire Hathaway, is sitting on more than $382 billion cash, but the conglomerate expects PacifiCorp to take care if its own obligations. The executive who led Berkshire\u2019s utility unit for years, Greg Abel, is now Berkshire\u2019s CEO.<\/p>\n
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Associated Press writer Josh Funk contributed from Omaha, Nebraska.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
#PacifiCorp #settles #wildfire #claims #billion #dollars<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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