California utility Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) said it plans to invest $18 billion toward its wildfire prevention program through 2025 after sustaining major financial losses from fire-related claims over the past few years.
PG&E filed for bankruptcy in 2019, and has paid billions of dollars in settlement awards tied to criminal and civil liabilities from wildfires linked to the utility’s electricity transmission infrastructure and other equipment.
The utility in a statement on March 27 said it will bury more than 2,000 miles of wires as part of its 2023-2025 Wildfire Mitigation Plan, included in a 10,000-mile undergrounding program. It also will install stronger utility poles, trim trees throughout its territory, and repair at-risk equipment.