PG&E Appeals Massive Fine for Pipeline Blast

PG&E Appeals Massive Fine for Pipeline Blast

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (PG&E), having been found responsible for a Sept. 9, 2012, blast and fire that killed eight people and injured another 66, is protesting a fine of $1.4-billion fine imposed on its shareholders by two administrative law judges, according to the Los Angeles Times

PG&E filed an appeal on Wednesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission after the California Public Utilities Commission announced the huge penalty. The filing from PG&E stated that it  “plans to appeal the decisions to the CPUC within 30 days.”

The blast occurred in San Bruno near San Francisco International Airport, and was triggered by defective welds in an underground gas-transmission line.

It is possible that that PUC administrative law judges could amend the fine; if they do, a five-member commission would decide whether that was appropriate, according to the Times.

Some parties involved were angry with the idea that PG&E’s might battle to avoid the fine; San Bruno Mayor Jim Ruane had said PG&E should “do the right thing and respect the penalty without appeal.”

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