"$1.4 Billion Penalty Urged for PG&E in San Bruno Blast"

"Pacific Gas and Electric Co. must pay a record $1.4 billion in fines and other penalties for more than 3,700 violations of pipeline safety laws leading up to the deadly San Bruno natural-gas explosion, two administrative law judges said Tuesday.

The California Public Utilities Commission judges levied a $950 million fine against PG&E for keeping shoddy pipeline records, violating safety rules and failing to make legally required gas-system adjustments before the September 2010 blast that killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes.

They also ordered the company to refund $400 million it received from customers but failed to spend on safety improvements in the decade before the blast. PG&E must also pay $50 million in other costs, including an audit of changes it has made to its gas lines since the disaster, the judges said."

Jaxon Van Derbeken reports for the San Francisco Chronicle September 2, 2014.

SEE ALSO:

"PG&E To Be Penalized $1.4 Billion for San Bruno Explosion" (San Jose Mercury News)

"PG&E Fined $1.4B for Deadly 2010 Gas Line Blast" (USA TODAY)

"PG&E Should Pay $1.4 Billion for San Bruno Blast: Judges" (Blooomberg)