Southern California Edison controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2025
Eaton Fire scrutiny
The Eaton Fire resulted in lawsuits and continuing scrutiny of SCE because of reported faults on nearby transmission lines, inspection backlogs, wind-monitoring practices, and the re-energization of lines under investigation. The available reference material does not establish a final legal determination of causation.
2022
Audit raises questions about Southern California Edison wildfire spending
Issue disclosure
A team hired by California regulators said Southern California Edison (SCE) placed $700.4 million in wildfire safety work costs into an account eligible for a further rate hike, potentially charging ratepayers twice. SCE disputed the audit's accuracy and said most of the questioned general-rate-funded project costs had already been refunded to customer-paid accounts.
Company response
Denial — SCE
SCE also said the audit has what they call “material flaws from a factual perspective.”
Clarification — SCE
SCE said customer-paid accounts have already been refunded the majority of the general rate funded projects that were held questionable by Crowe LLP.
Source excerpt
A team hired by the California Public Utilities Commission to audit the company said SCE earmarked $700.4 million worth of maintenance projects out of accounts already paid for by ratepayers, and placed those expenditures in a reimbursement account that is eligible for yet another rate hike.
SCE also said the audit has what they call “material flaws from a factual perspective.”
As part of the audit, SCE executives were given an opportunity to respond in writing. They said the auditors were not looking at the accounting columns the same way that CPUC state regulators have. SCE said customer-paid accounts have already been refunded the majority of the general rate funded projects that were held questionable by Crowe LLP.
2021
SCE reaches $2.2 billion Woolsey Fire subrogation settlement
Settlement
Southern California Edison and holders of Woolsey Fire insurance subrogation claims reached a $2.2 billion settlement of those claims. The source says the settlement was reached Friday but provides no publication date to resolve that relative date.
Source excerpt
The Woolsey Fire began Nov. 8, 2018, and spanned portions of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Three people died, nearly 97,000 acres burned and about 1,645 structures were destroyed.
Southern California Edison and the holders of Woolsey Fire insurance subrogation claims reached a $2.2 billion settlement of all such claims arising from the 2018 Woolsey Fire, the utility announced today.
2020
Southern California Edison reaches wildfire insurance settlement
Settlement
Southern California Edison said it reached a settlement of more than $1 billion with insurers related to fires and mudslides involving its equipment in 2017 and 2018. The agreement did not include an admission of liability.
Source excerpt
SCE did not admit liability in the agreement.
The SCE settlement covers the 2017 Thomas and Koenigstein fires and 2018 mudslides in Montecito near Santa Barbara, CA.
Southern California Edison Co. (SCE) said it has reached a $1 billion-plus settlement with insurance companies on the major fires involving its equipment in 2017 and 2018.
2019
Southern California Edison reaches wildfire-loss settlement with public agencies
Settlement
Southern California Edison reached a $360 million settlement with 23 public agencies for costs and losses associated with the Thomas and Woolsey Fires and the Montecito debris flow. The article says the settlement concerns the role Edison equipment may have had in starting the fires; individual and business claims are unaffected.
Stated objective. To compensate government agencies for associated costs and losses.
Source excerpt
Southern California Edison will pay $210 million to settle litigation filed by various public agencies, including Los Angeles County and the city of Malibu, over the 96,000-acre Woolsey Fire that destroyed more than 1,600 structures, the utility announced today.
The settlement does not include any admission of wrongdoing by the utility, and it does not resolve individual lawsuits that have been filed against Edison by residents and businesses over the blazes.
The settlement is over the role Edison equipment mave had had in starting the fires.
2018
Woolsey Fire liability and prosecution controversy
A CPUC report attributed the Woolsey Fire to SCE equipment. SCE later paid approximately $2.2 billion in settlements. California prosecutors declined criminal charges, a decision criticized by victims' attorneys; reporting also raised questions about a political donation that was subsequently described as a miscommunication.
2017
Creek Fire data and causation dispute
Federal investigators attributed the Creek Fire to SCE equipment after later-disclosed data showed an electrical fault. The government alleged that SCE withheld relevant information and violated a prior investigative agreement; SCE denied the allegations.
2017
Thomas Fire liability
An official investigation attributed the Thomas Fire and the related Koenigstein Fire to SCE equipment. The disaster caused deaths, extensive destruction, and Montecito mudflows, followed by settlements exceeding $2.7 billion.
2015
IT layoffs and H-1B labor controversy
SCE's layoffs of information-technology employees followed by hiring through offshore technology companies led to a U.S. Department of Labor investigation into possible H-1B visa abuse.
1996
Calabasas Fire investigation and evidence dispute
Investigators concluded that SCE equipment started the Calabasas Fire and criticized the company's vegetation monitoring and destruction of evidence, although prosecutors did not find conduct sufficient for criminal charges.