California's deadliest fire was caused by equipment that has not been repaired for years

A California investigation found that PG&E Corp. failed to inspect and maintain power lines in a safe condition for years before a faulty line started the Camp Fire, the deadliest fire in California history.

Фото: Depositphotos

In an 700-page report detailing the problems that led to the Caribou-Palermo power line failure on 8 on November 2018, causing the Camp Fire, investigators from the California Utility Commission said they found system problems with how the company monitored behind the safety of the oldest lines, writes Fox Business.

State fire investigators previously determined that PG&E equipment started Camp Fire, which killed 85 people, and the company did not dispute the results. But the new report goes well beyond its earlier findings, claiming numerous gross violations of power line maintenance rules and specific maintenance problems for the power line that started the fire.

The findings of the investigation corroborate many of the findings of previously published Wall Street Journal articles, which indicated that PG&E is postponing repairs on the Caribou-Palermo power line, as well as many other older power lines.

Investigators also found that PG&E crews had not climbed a power tower since at least 2001 that malfunctioned and led to a deadly fire — a violation of company policy requiring such inspections to be performed on towers that have recurring problems.

According to the authors of the investigation, the inspection of the tower during this time “could have revealed the worn-out element before it failed, and its timely replacement could have prevented Camp Fire.”

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In January, PG&E filed for bankruptcy protection, citing more than $ 30 billion in potential liabilities due to fires caused by its equipment. This fall, the utility shut off millions of its customers during high winds to try to prevent new fires from erupting on its equipment, which drew widespread criticism, including from California Governor Gavin Newsom and other state officials.

CEO Bill Johnson warned that blackouts can occur over 10 years, although they are likely to decrease in size and volume over time as the company improves the security of its system.

On Monday, the company said it agreed that its equipment launched Camp Fire, and declined to comment on information that there were system problems in its inspection and maintenance methods.

“The tragedy in Butte County on November 8, 2018 will never be forgotten,” PG&E said in a statement. “We continue to deeply regret the role our equipment played in this tragedy and apologize to everyone affected by the devastating Camp Fire."

The report was completed last month, the first anniversary of Camp Fire, but was not published until Monday. Some parts of the report have been edited.

Earlier it was reported that PG & E know that the Caribou-Palermo line, commissioned in 1921, has reached the end of its service life and needs increased inspection and maintenance.

A 2010 commission from PG&E concluded that company employees needed to climb power towers every 3 to 5 years to determine their condition. PG&E did not follow this proposal. The company said it believed ground and air inspections were sufficient to monitor the transmission system. A 2017 internal presentation noted that the average age of its towers was 68 years and their average lifespan was 65 years.

The findings of the report on the utility services commission could result in company fines and affect ongoing law enforcement investigations, including Butte County Attorney and California Attorney General, who decide whether to institute criminal proceedings against the utility and its executives.

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It can also affect the probation PG & E. The company is located on federal probation for failing to properly inspect and maintain its gas pipeline system, which led to an explosion in 2010 that killed 8 people. A federal judge overseeing PG&E's probation has indicated that the company has breached probation and is weighing further sanctions.

The investigation also found that PG&E found problems on the line 2 months before the fire, but did not flag them as particularly serious. On September 11, 2018, the PG&E team found a dangling hook on a lattice steel tower near where the fire started. The team called it a low priority renovation that needed to be completed within 12 months. Investigators said the repairs should have been given the highest priority requiring immediate attention.

The investigation found that PG&E's routine inspections were ineffective in finding defective hooks and other equipment that was close to failure.

“Current and previous inspection and maintenance programs have been inadequate,” the statement said.

A study by state regulators found the Caribou-Palermo line was not the only PG&E power line with problems. Investigators found other lines with worn-out equipment nearby.

After the Camp Fire, investigators determined that the “C-shaped hook” that held the wire under high voltage on the Caribou-Palermo line came off. On the neighboring tower, the same thing happened with another important hook, since years of friction led to the abrasion of the metal.

The report contains a dozen violations of the general rules of the communal commission, but no recommendations. It is likely that a 5-member panel will have to review the report at a future meeting and determine what sanctions, if any, to impose on PG&E.

Paul Patterson, an analyst overseeing PG&E at Glenrock Associates LLC, said the state's report could have a significant impact on PG&E, as the company could turn over some of its billion-dollar liabilities to its customers if it convinced the utility that acted prudently. Otherwise, it can become a very serious financial problem for the company.

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