Case 3:14-cr-00175-WHA Document 961 Filed 01/09/19 Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 7 FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 8 9 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, No. CR 14-0175 WHA 11 For the Northern District of California United States District Court 10 12 13 14 15 Plaintiff, v. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE WHY PG&E’S CONDITIONS OF PROBATION SHOULD NOT BE MODIFIED PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY, Defendant. / 16 17 In 2016, a jury convicted PG&E on six felony counts of knowingly and willfully 18 violating safety standards and obstructing an investigation by the National Transportation 19 Security Board arising out of the San Bruno explosion of a PG&E gas pipeline that killed eight 20 and destroyed 38 homes. A corporation cannot go to prison, so the criminal judgment imposed 21 the largest fine allowed by law and several conditions of probation. Recently, CAL FIRE has 22 determined that PG&E caused eighteen wildfires in 2017, twelve of which CAL FIRE referred 23 for possible criminal prosecution. (CAL FIRE continues its investigation into the more recent 24 Camp Fire in Butte County in which 86 people lost their lives.) 25 In order to protect the public from further wrongs by the offender, to deter similar 26 wrongs by other utilities, and to promote the rehabilitation of the offender among other goals of 27 18 U.S.C. §§ 3553(a)(1) and (a)(2), the Court proposes to add the following new conditions of 28 probation pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3563(c): Case 3:14-cr-00175-WHA Document 961 Filed 01/09/19 Page 2 of 4 For the Northern District of California United States District Court 1 1. In light of PG&E’s history of falsification of inspection reports, 2 PG&E shall, between now and the 2019 Wildfire Season, re-inspect all of its 3 electrical grid and remove or trim all trees that could fall onto its power lines, 4 poles or equipment in high-wind conditions, branches that might bend in high 5 wind and hit power lines, poles or equipment, and branches that could break off in 6 high wind and fall onto power lines, poles or equipment; shall identify and fix all 7 conductors that might swing together and arc due to slack and/or other 8 circumstances under high-wind conditions; shall identify and fix damaged or 9 weakened poles, transformers, fuses and other connectors; and shall identify and 10 fix any other condition anywhere in its grid similar to any condition that 11 contributed to any previous wildfires. The trees and branches to be removed are 12 not limited to those within the distances prescribed by the California Public 13 Resources Code but extend farther to any tree or branch posing the dangers 14 described above. As used herein, the 2019 Wildfire Season means June 21, 2019, 15 through the first region-wide rainstorm in November or December. 16 2. For each segment of its electrical grid, PG&E shall document the 17 foregoing inspections and the work done and shall rate each segment’s safety 18 under various wind conditions (from little wind to high wind). PG&E must 19 designate one or more qualified engineers to make these safety determinations 20 and the rating must be certified under oath by the engineer in writing. In light of 21 PG&E’s history of false reporting, PG&E may not rely upon its earlier inspection 22 reports as substitutes for the new inspections. PG&E shall follow all 23 requirements of law as well as those in this order, shall follow all guidance 24 provided by the Monitor, and shall be complete and truthful. If a power line 25 happens to comply with all of the requirements of state law but nevertheless poses 26 a safety issue under the circumstances, then the line may not be rated as safe until 27 the safety issue is resolved. 28 2 Case 3:14-cr-00175-WHA Document 961 Filed 01/09/19 Page 3 of 4 For the Northern District of California United States District Court 1 3. At all times during the 2019 Wildfire Season (and thereafter), 2 PG&E may supply electricity only through those parts of its electrical grid it has 3 determined to be safe under the wind conditions then prevailing. Conversely, 4 PG&E must de-energize any part of its grid not yet rated as safe by PG&E for 5 the wind conditions then prevailing until those conditions have subsided. For 6 example, if Santa Ana winds of up to thirty miles per hour are expected in a given 7 county and if PG&E has not yet rated those power lines as safe for such winds, 8 then PG&E must de-energize those lines during the wind event and beforehand 9 notify affected customers that those lines will be de-energized. In determining 10 safety, PG&E may not take into account the need for reliability of service, the 11 inconvenience to customers resulting from interruption in service, or its impact 12 upon PG&E’s revenues and profits. Reliability is important but safety must come 13 first. Profits are important but safety must come first. Only safe operation will be 14 allowed. 15 These conditions of probation are intended to reduce to zero the number of wildfires 16 caused by PG&E in the 2019 Wildfire Season. This will likely mean having to interrupt service 17 during high-wind events (and possibly at other times) but that inconvenience, irritating as it will 18 be, will pale by comparison to the death and destruction that otherwise might result from 19 PG&E-inflicted wildfires. PG&E shall promptly advise law enforcement, hospitals and other 20 emergency personnel and the public at large in its service area to consider arranging for back-up 21 emergency generators as a hedge against interruption of power. 22 The Monitor shall promptly spot-check the inspections (with field inspections of his 23 own), promptly spot-check the safety ratings, and otherwise monitor compliance with this order, 24 providing a monthly report to the Court that plainly and prominently identifies any weaknesses 25 in PG&E’s compliance. PG&E shall immediately notify Probation and the Monitor of any 26 violations. 27 28 3 Case 3:14-cr-00175-WHA Document 961 Filed 01/09/19 Page 4 of 4 1 By NOON ON JANUARY 23, 2019, all parties are ORDERED TO SHOW CAUSE why PG&E’s 2 conditions of probation should not be modified as stated above. A hearing on this matter will be 3 held on JANUARY 30, 2019, AT 9:00 A.M. PG&E and the government shall transmit a copy of this order to the California Public 4 5 Utilities Commission. If the CPUC (or the California legislature) comes up with a better plan for 6 insuring the safety of California before the 2019 Wildfire Season, the Court will consider 7 conforming its proposed conditions to any such plan. The CPUC is hereby invited to comment 8 by JANUARY 25, and to attend the hearing on JANUARY 30. For the Northern District of California United States District Court 9 PG&E and the government shall also transmit a copy of this order to CAL FIRE. The 10 Court requests input from CAL FIRE concerning its investigation into the specifics of wildfires 11 caused by PG&E and on what operating restrictions going forward might be adopted by the 12 Court as a condition of probation to maximize the safety of California. CAL FIRE is hereby 13 invited to the hearing on JANUARY 30, and is requested to file a public statement by JANUARY 14 25. 15 16 IT IS SO ORDERED. 17 18 Dated: January 9, 2019. WILLIAM ALSUP UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 4