SAN DIEGO �� The California Public Utilities Commission rejected a request from San Diego Gas & Electric to pass on to customers $379 million in costs related to three wildfires that blazed through the area in 2007.
The commissioners ruled that SDG&E did not reasonably manage and operate its facilities leading up to the Witch, Guejito and Rice fires that killed two people, injured 40 firefighters and forced tens of thousands to seek shelter at Qualcomm Stadium. The three fires combined to destroy more than 1,300 homes.
SDG&E officials have maintained that the wildfires that enveloped Southern California in October 2007 were and insisted that the utility responsibly managed its service territory.
Even though two commissioners expressed that their votes were "close calls," all five members voted morning in San Francisco to reject the utility's request.
If SDG&E's request had been approved, it was estimated the average customer would have paid $1.67 more per month over six years.
The decision has been watched closely because it may set a precedent for California utilities, which could face billions of dollars in potential damages in cases of wildfires.
