PG&E: It’s likely our equipment was “ignition point” for deadly Camp Fire

Enlarge / An aerial view of homes destroyed by the Camp Fire in Paradise, California. Three months after the deadly and destructive Camp Fire, the community is beginning the rebuilding process. (credit: Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

In a statement on Thursday, California utility Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) told investors that it would take a $10.5 billion charge related to the deadly Camp Fire that burned through Northern California in November of last year.

"Although the cause of the 2018 Camp Fire is still under investigation, based on the information currently known to the company and reported to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and other agencies, the company believes it is probable that its equipment will be determined to be an ignition point of the 2018 Camp Fire," PG&E told investors.

The utility goes on to state that its Caribou-Palermo 115 kilovolt (kV) transmission line deenergized approximately 15 minutes before a PG&E employee observed a fire in the vicinity of a tower on the line. In addition, "a suspension insulator supporting a transposition jumper had separated from an arm" on the tower in question.

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