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WILDFIRE-RELATED CONTINGENCIES | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2021
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
WILDFIRE-RELATED CONTINGENCIES | WILDFIRE-RELATED CONTINGENCIESPG&E Corporation and the Utility have significant contingencies arising from their operations, including contingencies related to wildfires. A provision for a loss contingency is recorded when it is both probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the liability can be reasonably estimated. PG&E Corporation and the Utility evaluate which potential liabilities are probable and the related range of reasonably estimated losses and record a charge that reflects their best estimate or the lower end of the range, if there is no better estimate. The assessment of whether a loss is probable or reasonably possible, and whether the loss or a range of losses is estimable, often involves a series of complex judgments about future events. Loss contingencies are reviewed quarterly, and estimates are adjusted to reflect the impact of all known information, such as negotiations, discovery, settlements and payments, rulings, advice of legal counsel, and other information and events pertaining to a particular matter. PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s provision for loss and expense excludes anticipated legal costs, which are expensed as incurred. PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows may be materially affected by the outcome of the following matters. The process for estimating losses associated with potential claims related to wildfires requires management to exercise significant judgment based on a number of assumptions and subjective factors, including the factors identified above and estimates based on currently available information and prior experience with wildfires. As more information becomes available, including from potential claimants as litigation or resolution efforts progress, management estimates and assumptions regarding the potential financial impacts of the 2019 Kincade fire, 2020 Zogg fire, and 2021 Dixie fire may change. Restructuring Support Agreement with the TCC On December 6, 2019, PG&E Corporation and the Utility entered into the TCC RSA. The TCC RSA (as incorporated into the Plan) provides for, among other things, a combination of cash and common stock of the reorganized PG&E Corporation to be provided by PG&E Corporation and the Utility pursuant to the Plan (together with certain additional rights, the “Aggregate Fire Victim Consideration”) in order to settle and discharge the Fire Victim Claims, upon the terms and conditions set forth in the TCC RSA and the Plan. The Aggregate Fire Victim Consideration that has funded and will fund the Fire Victim Trust pursuant to the Plan for the benefit of holders of the Fire Victim Claims consists of (a) $5.4 billion in cash that was contributed on the Effective Date of the Plan, (b) $1.35 billion in cash consisting of (i) $758 million that was paid in cash on January 15, 2021 and (ii) the remaining balance of $592 million to be paid in cash on or before January 15, 2022, in each case pursuant to the terms of the tax benefits payment agreement between the Fire Victim Trust and the Utility, and (c) an amount of common stock representing 22.19% of the outstanding shares of PG&E Corporation on the Effective Date, subject to potential adjustments. 2019 Kincade Fire According to Cal Fire, on October 23, 2019 at approximately 9:27 p.m., a wildfire began northeast of Geyserville in Sonoma County, California (the “2019 Kincade fire”), located in the service territory of the Utility. The Cal Fire Kincade Fire Incident Update dated November 20, 2019, 11:02 a.m. Pacific Time (the “Kincade incident update”), indicated that the 2019 Kincade fire had consumed 77,758 acres. In the Kincade incident update, Cal Fire reported no fatalities and four first responder injuries. The Kincade incident update also indicates the following: structures destroyed, 374 (consisting of 174 residential structures, 11 commercial structures and 189 other structures); and structures damaged, 60 (consisting of 35 residential structures, one commercial structure and 24 other structures). In connection with the 2019 Kincade fire, state and local officials issued numerous mandatory evacuation orders and evacuation warnings at various times for certain areas of the region. Based on County of Sonoma information, PG&E Corporation and the Utility understand that the geographic zones subject to either a mandatory evacuation order or an evacuation warning between October 23, 2019 and November 4, 2019 included approximately 200,000 persons. On October 23, 2019, by 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time, the Utility had conducted a PSPS event and turned off the power to approximately 27,837 customers in Sonoma County, including Geyserville and the surrounding area. As part of the PSPS, the Utility’s distribution lines in these areas were deenergized. Following the Utility’s established and CPUC-approved PSPS protocols and procedures, transmission lines in these areas remained energized. The Utility submitted EIRs (the “Kincade EIRs”) to the CPUC indicating that: •at approximately 9:19 p.m. Pacific Time on October 23, 2019, the Utility became aware of a transmission level outage on the Geysers #9 Lakeville 230 kV line when the line relayed and did not reclose; •various generating facilities on the Geysers #9 Lakeville 230 kV line detected the disturbance and separated at approximately the same time; •at approximately 9:21 p.m. Pacific Time, the PG&E Grid Control Center received a report that a fire had started in an area near transmission tower 001/006; •at approximately 7:30 a.m. Pacific Time on October 24, 2019, a responding Utility troubleman patrolling the Geysers #9 Lakeville 230 kV line observed that Cal Fire had taped off the area around the base of transmission tower 001/006 in the area of the 2019 Kincade fire; and •on site Cal Fire personnel brought to the troubleman’s attention what appeared to be a broken jumper on the same tower. On July 16, 2020, Cal Fire issued a press release addressing the cause of the 2019 Kincade fire. The press release stated that Cal Fire had determined that “the Kincade Fire was caused by electrical transmission lines owned and operated by Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) located northeast of Geyserville. Tinder dry vegetation and strong winds combined with low humidity and warm temperatures contributed to extreme rates of fire spread.” On April 6, 2021, the Sonoma County District Attorney’s office filed a criminal complaint (the “Kincade Complaint”) charging the Utility with five felonies and 28 misdemeanors related to the 2019 Kincade fire. The Kincade Complaint alleges three felony counts of recklessly causing a fire that caused great bodily injury to six firefighters and/or burned inhabited and other structures, inhabited property, forest land and personal property, in violation of Penal Code section 452; two felony counts of reckless emission of air contaminants that caused great bodily injury to two minors, in violation of Health and Safety Code section 42400.3(c); one misdemeanor count of carelessly or negligently throwing or placing substances that may cause a fire, in violation of Health and Safety Code section 13001; one misdemeanor count of negligently causing fire, in violation of Public Resources Code section 4421; three misdemeanor counts of violation by a public utility, in violation of Public Utilities Code section 2110; and 23 misdemeanor counts of recklessly or negligently emitting air contaminants, in violation of Health and Safety Code sections 42400.3(b) and 42400.1(a). If convicted of any of the charges in the Kincade Complaint, the Utility could be subject to fines, penalties, and restitution to victims for their economic losses (including property damage, medical and mental health expenses, lost wages, lost profits, attorneys’ fees and interest), as well as non-monetary remedies such as oversight requirements. On April 6, 2021, PG&E Corporation announced that it disputed the charges in the Kincade Complaint. It further announced that it would accept Cal Fire’s finding that a Utility transmission line caused the 2019 Kincade fire. On April 20, 2021, the court held an initial hearing in the case. On May 11, 2021, the Utility filed a demurrer to 25 of the 33 counts contained in the Kincade Complaint. At a hearing on September 9, 2021, the Sonoma County Superior Court overruled the demurrer. The Utility pled not guilty to all charges on October 13, 2021. A preliminary hearing on the charges is scheduled to begin February 8, 2022. PG&E Corporation and the Utility have received data requests from the SED relating to the 2019 Kincade fire and, as of October 29, 2021, have responded to all data requests received. Potential liabilities related to the 2019 Kincade fire depend on various factors, including the cause of the fire, contributing causes of the fire (including alternative potential origins, weather- and climate-related issues), the number, size and type of structures damaged or destroyed, the contents of such structures and other personal property damage, the number and types of trees damaged or destroyed, attorneys’ fees for claimants, the nature and extent of any personal injuries, the amount of fire suppression and clean-up costs, other damages the Utility may be responsible for if found negligent, and the amount of any penalties, fines, or restitution that may be imposed by courts or other governmental entities. As of October 27, 2021, PG&E Corporation and the Utility are aware of approximately 64 complaints on behalf of at least 1,377 plaintiffs related to the 2019 Kincade fire and expect that they may receive further such complaints. The complaints were filed in the California Superior Court for the County of Sonoma and the California Superior Court for the County of San Francisco and include claims based on multiple theories of liability, including inverse condemnation, negligence, violations of the Public Utilities Code, violations of the Health & Safety Code, premises liability, trespass, public nuisance and private nuisance. In addition, on October 18, 2021, Cal Fire filed a complaint seeking to recover approximately $90 million for fire suppression and other costs incurred in connection with the 2019 Kincade fire. The plaintiffs in each action principally assert that PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s alleged failure to properly maintain, inspect, and de-energize their transmission lines was the cause of the 2019 Kincade fire. On December 3, 2020, PG&E Corporation and the Utility filed a petition with the California Judicial Council to coordinate the litigation. On April 8, 2021, the coordination motion judge ordered that the cases be coordinated, and on April 16, 2021, the San Francisco County Superior Court was selected as the site of the coordinated proceeding. The plaintiffs filed master complaints on July 16, 2021, and PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s response was filed on August 16, 2021, and PG&E Corporation and the Utility filed a demurrer with respect to the plaintiffs’ inverse condemnation claims. The plaintiffs filed an opposition to PG&E Corporation and the Utility’s demurrer on September 13, 2021. PG&E Corporation and the Utility filed a reply on October 1, 2021. A hearing on the demurrer is scheduled for November 5, 2021. If the Utility’s facilities, such as its electric distribution and transmission lines, are judicially determined to be the substantial cause of the 2019 Kincade fire, and the doctrine of inverse condemnation applies, the Utility could be liable for property damage, business interruption, interest and attorneys’ fees without having been found negligent. California courts have imposed liability under the doctrine of inverse condemnation in legal actions brought by property holders against utilities on the grounds that losses borne by the person whose property was damaged through a public use undertaking should be spread across the community that benefited from such undertaking, and based on the assumption that utilities have the ability to recover these costs from their customers. Further, California courts have determined that the doctrine of inverse condemnation is applicable regardless of whether the CPUC ultimately allows recovery by the utility for any such costs. The CPUC may decide not to authorize cost recovery even if a court decision were to determine that the Utility is liable as a result of the application of the doctrine of inverse condemnation. (See “Loss Recoveries – Regulatory Recovery” below for further information regarding potential cost recovery related to the wildfires.) Based on the current state of the law concerning inverse condemnation in California and the facts and circumstances available to PG&E Corporation and the Utility as of the date of this filing, including the information contained in the Kincade EIRs, Cal Fire’s determination of the cause, other information gathered as part of PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s investigation, and the charges filed by the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office, PG&E Corporation and the Utility believe it is probable that they will incur a loss in connection with the 2019 Kincade fire. PG&E Corporation and the Utility recorded a liability in the aggregate amount of $625 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 (before available insurance). Based on the facts and circumstances available to the Utility as of the filing of PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2021 (the “Q1 Form 10-Q”), including the status of negotiations with certain subrogation entities, PG&E Corporation and the Utility recorded an additional charge in the first quarter of 2021 for potential losses in connection with the 2019 Kincade fire of $175 million, for an aggregate liability of $800 million (before available insurance). The aggregate liability remained unchanged as of September 30, 2021. Based on the facts and circumstances available to the Utility as of the filing of this Form 10-Q, PG&E Corporation and the Utility recorded an additional liability of $40 million reflected in Other current liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in the third quarter of 2021 for probable losses in connection with a pending CPUC investigation into the 2019 Kincade fire. The outcome of this investigation is not final and is expected to include additional obligations for the Utility. The following table presents changes in the lower end of the range of PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s reasonably estimable range of losses for claims arising from the 2019 Kincade fire since December 31, 2020.
Loss Accrual (in millions) |
Balance at December 31, 2020 | 625 |
Accrued Losses | 175 |
Payments (1) | (31) |
Balance at September 30, 2021 | $ | 769 |
(1) As of September 30, 2021, PG&E Corporation and the Utility entered into settlement agreements in connection with the 2019 Kincade fire of approximately $31 million, which has been paid in full by PG&E Corporation and the Utility. Subsequent to September 30, 2021, PG&E Corporation and the Utility have entered into additional settlements and made additional payments and expect to continue to do so. The aggregate liability of $800 million for claims in connection with the 2019 Kincade fire (before available insurance and before taking into account the settlement payments) corresponds to the lower end of the range of PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s reasonably estimable range of losses and is subject to change based on additional information. This $800 million estimate does not include, among other things: (i) any amounts for potential penalties, fines, or restitution that may be imposed by courts or other governmental entities on PG&E Corporation or the Utility, (ii) any punitive damages, (iii) any amounts in respect of compensation claims by federal or state agencies other than state fire suppression costs, (iv) evacuation costs, or (v) any other amounts that are not reasonably estimable. In addition to claims for property damage, business interruption, interest and attorneys’ fees under inverse condemnation, PG&E Corporation and the Utility could be liable for fire suppression costs, evacuation costs, medical expenses, personal injury damages, punitive damages and other damages under other theories of liability in connection with the 2019 Kincade fire, including if PG&E Corporation or the Utility were found to have been negligent. Under California law (including Penal Code section 1202.4), if the Utility were convicted of any of the charges in the Kincade Complaint, the sentencing court must order the Utility to “make restitution to the victim or victims in an amount established by court order” that is “sufficient to fully reimburse the victim or victims for every determined economic loss incurred as the result of” the Utility’s underlying conduct, in addition to interest and the victim’s or victims’ attorneys’ fees. This requirement for full reimbursement of economic loss is not waivable by either the government or the victim and is not offset by any compensation that the victims have received or may receive from their insurance carriers. In the event that the Utility were convicted of certain charges in the Kincade Complaint, the Utility currently believes that, depending on which charges it were to be convicted of, its total losses associated with the 2019 Kincade fire would materially exceed the $800 million aggregate liability that PG&E Corporation and the Utility have recorded to reflect the lower end of the range of the reasonably estimable range of losses for the 2019 Kincade fire civil claims. The Utility is currently unable to determine a reasonable estimate of the amount of such additional losses. The Utility does not expect that any of its liability insurance would be available to cover restitution payments ordered by the court presiding over the criminal proceeding. The Utility believes it will continue to receive additional information from potential claimants as litigation or resolution efforts progress. Any such additional information may potentially allow PG&E Corporation and the Utility to refine such estimate and may result in changes to the accrual depending on the information provided. PG&E Corporation and the Utility currently believe that it is reasonably possible that the amount of loss could be greater than $800 million (before available insurance) but are unable to reasonably estimate the additional loss and the upper end of the range because, as described above, there are a number of unknown facts and legal considerations that may impact the amount of any potential liability, including the total scope and nature of claims that may be asserted against PG&E Corporation and the Utility and the outcome of the criminal proceedings initiated against the Utility by the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office. If the liability for the 2019 Kincade fire were to exceed $1.0 billion, the Utility may be eligible to make a claim to the Wildfire Fund under AB 1054 to satisfy settled or finally adjudicated eligible claims in excess of such amount, subject to the 40% limitation on the allowed amount of claims arising before emergence from bankruptcy. PG&E Corporation and the Utility intend to continue to review the available information and other information as it becomes available, including evidence in the possession of Cal Fire or the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office, evidence from or held by other parties, claims that have not yet been submitted, and additional information about the nature and extent of potential damages. The process for estimating losses associated with potential claims related to the 2019 Kincade fire requires management to exercise significant judgment based on a number of assumptions and subjective factors, including the factors identified above and estimates based on currently available information and prior experience with wildfires. As more information becomes available, management estimates and assumptions regarding the potential financial impact of the 2019 Kincade fire may change. The Utility has liability insurance from various insurers, which provides coverage for third-party liability attributable to the 2019 Kincade fire in an aggregate amount of $430 million. The Utility records insurance recoveries when it is deemed probable that recovery will occur, and the Utility can reasonably estimate the amount or its range. As of September 30, 2021, the Utility has recorded an insurance receivable for the full amount of the $430 million. While the Utility plans to seek recovery of all insured losses, it is unable to predict the ultimate amount and timing of such insurance recoveries. 2020 Zogg Fire According to Cal Fire, on September 27, 2020, a wildfire began in the area of Zogg Mine Road and Jenny Bird Lane, north of Igo in Shasta County, California (the “2020 Zogg fire”), located in the service territory of the Utility. The Cal Fire Zogg fire Incident Update dated October 16, 2020, 3:08 p.m. Pacific Time (the “Zogg incident update”), indicated that the 2020 Zogg fire had consumed 56,338 acres. The Zogg incident update reported four fatalities and one injury. The Zogg incident update also indicated that 27 structures were damaged and 204 structures were destroyed. Of the 204 structures destroyed, 63 were single family homes, according to a damage inspection report available from the Shasta County Department of Resource Management. On October 9, 2020, the Utility submitted an EIR (the “Zogg EIR”) to the CPUC indicating that: •wildfire camera and satellite data on September 27, 2020 show smoke, heat, or signs of fire in the area of Zogg Mine Road and Jenny Bird Lane between approximately 2:43 p.m. and 2:46 p.m. Pacific Time; •according to Utility records, on September 27, 2020, a SmartMeter and a line recloser serving the area of Zogg Mine Road and Jenny Bird Lane reported alarms and other activity starting at approximately 2:40 p.m. until 3:06 p.m. Pacific Time when the line recloser de-energized a portion of the Girvan 1101 12 kV circuit, a distribution line that serves that area; and •the data currently available to the Utility do not establish the causes of the activity on the Girvan 1101 circuit or the locations of these causes. On March 22, 2021, Cal Fire issued a press release with its determination that the 2020 Zogg fire was caused by a pine tree contacting electrical facilities owned and operated by the Utility located north of the community of Igo. On September 24, 2021, the Shasta County District Attorney’s Office filed a criminal complaint (the “Zogg Complaint”) charging the Utility with 11 felonies and 20 misdemeanors related to the 2020 Zogg fire. The Zogg Complaint alleges four felony counts of involuntary manslaughter based on the four deaths that occurred during the 2020 Zogg fire, in violation of Penal Code section 192(b); six felony counts of recklessly causing a fire and causing great bodily injury, fire to inhabited structure, or fire of structure or forest, with three counts relating to the 2020 Zogg fire and one count relating to each of the 2020 Daniel fire, the 2020 Ponder fire, and the 2021 Woody fire (each described below), in violation of Penal Code section 452(a)–(c); one felony count of recklessly causing a fire to property of another, based on harm to domesticated animals during the 2020 Zogg fire, in violation of Penal Code section 452(d); two misdemeanor counts of negligent fire starting, one in connection with the 2020 Zogg fire and one in connection with the 2020 Ponder fire, in violation of Health and Safety Code section 13001; one misdemeanor count of failure to maintain firebreak, in connection with the 2020 Zogg fire, in violation of Public Resources Code section 4292; one misdemeanor count of failure to maintain clearance, in connection with the 2020 Zogg fire, in violation of Public Resources Code section 4293; two misdemeanor counts of unlawfully starting a fire, one in connection with the 2020 Zogg fire and one in connection with the 2020 Ponder fire, in violation of Public Resources Code section 4421; two misdemeanor counts of negligently causing a fire by device, one in connection with the 2020 Zogg fire and one in connection with the 2020 Ponder fire, in violation of Public Resources Code section 4435; two misdemeanor counts of failure to comply with regulations, one in connection with the 2020 Zogg fire and one in connection with the 2020 Ponder fire, in violation of Public Utilities Code section 2110; five misdemeanor counts of negligently emitting air contaminants during the 2020 Zogg fire, in violation of Health and Safety Code section 42400.1(a); and five misdemeanor counts of recklessly emitting air contamination that results in an unreasonable risk of great bodily injury during the 2020 Zogg fire, in violation of Health and Safety Code section 42400.3(b). As noted above, some of the charges included in the Zogg Complaint relate to the 2020 Daniel fire, the 2020 Ponder fire, and the 2021 Woody fire. According to the Zogg Complaint, all three of those fires occurred in Shasta County, with the 2020 Daniel fire occurring on July 28, 2020, the 2020 Ponder fire occurring on October 19, 2020, and the 2021 Woody fire occurring on August 19, 2021. If convicted of any of the charges in the Zogg Complaint, the Utility could be subject to fines, penalties, and restitution to victims for their economic losses (including property damage, medical and mental health expenses, lost wages, lost profits, attorneys’ fees and interest), as well as non-monetary remedies such as oversight requirements. On September 24, 2021, PG&E Corporation and the Utility announced that they disputed the charges in the Zogg Complaint. They further announced that they would accept Cal Fire’s finding that a Utility electric line caused the 2020 Zogg fire, even though PG&E Corporation and the Utility do not have access to all of the evidence that Cal Fire gathered. PG&E Corporation and the Utility have received and are responding to data requests from the CPUC relating to the 2020 Zogg fire. PG&E Corporation and the Utility are providing information and responses to document requests from the Shasta County District Attorney’s Office relating to the 2020 Zogg fire. Various other entities, which may include other law enforcement agencies, may also be investigating the fire. It is uncertain when any such investigations will be complete. Potential liabilities related to the 2020 Zogg fire depend on various factors, including the cause of the fire, contributing causes of the fire (including alternative potential origins, weather- and climate-related issues), the number, size and type of structures damaged or destroyed, the contents of such structures and other personal property damage, the number and types of trees damaged or destroyed, attorneys’ fees for claimants, the nature and extent of any personal injuries, including the loss of lives, the amount of fire suppression and clean-up costs, other damages the Utility may be responsible for if found negligent, and the amount of any penalties, fines, or restitution that may be imposed by courts or other governmental entities. If the Utility’s facilities, such as its electric distribution lines, are judicially determined to be the substantial cause of the 2020 Zogg fire, and the doctrine of inverse condemnation applies, the Utility could be liable for property damage, business interruption, interest and attorneys’ fees without having been found negligent. For more information regarding the inverse condemnation doctrine, see “2019 Kincade Fire” above. As of October 27, 2021, PG&E Corporation and the Utility are aware of approximately 17 complaints on behalf of at least 315 plaintiffs related to the 2020 Zogg fire and expect that they may receive further such complaints. The complaints were filed in the California Superior Court for the County of Shasta and the California Superior Court for the County of San Francisco and include claims based on multiple theories of liability, including inverse condemnation, negligence, violations of the Public Utilities Code, violations of the Health & Safety Code, premises liability, trespass, public nuisance and private nuisance. The plaintiffs in each action principally assert that PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s alleged failure to properly maintain, inspect and de-energize their distribution lines was the cause of the 2020 Zogg fire. The plaintiffs seek damages that include wrongful death, property damage, economic loss, punitive damages, exemplary damages, attorneys’ fees and other damages. On February 5, 2021, certain plaintiffs filed a petition with the California Judicial Council to coordinate five civil cases filed against the Utility and PG&E Corporation in the Superior Courts of Shasta and San Francisco counties. On May 12, 2021, the coordination motion judge ordered that the cases be coordinated, and on June 16, 2021, the San Francisco County Superior Court was selected as the site of the coordinated proceeding. The plaintiffs filed master complaints on August 6, 2021, and PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s answer was filed on September 7, 2021, and PG&E Corporation and the Utility filed a demurrer with respect to the plaintiffs’ inverse condemnation claims. The plaintiffs filed an opposition to PG&E Corporation and the Utility’s demurrer on October 6, 2021. At an October 4, 2021 hearing, the San Francisco County Superior Court set a trial date of February 6, 2023. The court will determine the scope of the trial and the cases to be tried at a later date. A hearing on the demurrer is scheduled for November 5, 2021. Based on the current state of the law concerning inverse condemnation in California and the facts and circumstances available to PG&E Corporation and the Utility as of the date of this filing, including the information contained in the Zogg EIR and gathered as part of PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s investigation, PG&E Corporation and the Utility believe it is probable that they will incur a loss in connection with the 2020 Zogg fire. PG&E Corporation and the Utility recorded a liability in the aggregate amount of $275 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 (before available insurance). Based on the facts and circumstances available to the Utility as of the filing of the Q1 Form 10-Q, including the status of negotiations with certain agencies and additional damages information from certain plaintiffs, PG&E Corporation and the Utility recorded an additional charge for potential losses in connection with the 2020 Zogg fire in the amount of $25 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. Based on additional facts and circumstances available to the Utility as of the date of the filing of PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2021, including the status of negotiations with certain subrogation entities and individual plaintiffs, PG&E Corporation and the Utility recorded an additional charge for potential losses in connection with the 2020 Zogg fire of $75 million for the three months ended June 30, 2021, for an aggregate liability of $375 million (before available insurance). There were negotiations with certain subrogation entities during the quarter ended September 30, 2021, however, the aggregate liability remained unchanged as of September 30, 2021. The following table presents changes in the lower end of the range of PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s reasonably estimable range of losses for claims arising from the 2020 Zogg fire since December 31, 2020.
Loss Accrual (in millions) |
Balance at December 31, 2020 | $ | 275 |
Accrued Losses | 100 |
Payments (1) | (127) |
Balance at September 30, 2021 | $ | 248 |
(1) As of September 30, 2021, PG&E Corporation and the Utility entered into settlement agreements in connection with the 2020 Zogg fire of approximately $127 million, which has been paid by PG&E Corporation and the Utility. Subsequent to September 30, 2021, PG&E Corporation and the Utility have entered into additional settlements and made additional payments and expect to continue to do so. The aggregate liability of $375 million for claims in connection with the 2020 Zogg fire (before available insurance and before taking into account the settlement payments) corresponds to the lower end of the range of PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s reasonably estimable range of losses, and is subject to change based on additional information. This $375 million estimate does not include, among other things: (i) any amounts for potential penalties, fines, or restitution that may be imposed by courts or other governmental entities on PG&E Corporation or the Utility, (ii) any punitive damages, (iii) any amounts in respect of compensation claims by federal or state agencies other than state fire suppression costs, (iv) evacuation costs, or (v) any other amounts that are not reasonably estimable. In addition to claims for property damage, business interruption, interest and attorneys’ fees under inverse condemnation, PG&E Corporation and the Utility could be liable for fire suppression costs, evacuation costs, medical expenses, wrongful death and personal injury damages, punitive damages and other damages under other theories of liability in connection with the 2020 Zogg fire, including if PG&E Corporation or the Utility were found to have been negligent. PG&E Corporation and the Utility currently believe that it is reasonably possible that the amount of the loss will be greater than $375 million and are unable to reasonably estimate the additional loss and the upper end of the range because, as described above, there are a number of unknown facts and legal considerations that may impact the amount of any potential liability, including the total scope and nature of claims that may be asserted against PG&E Corporation and the Utility. If the liability for the 2020 Zogg fire were to exceed $1.0 billion, the Utility may be eligible to make a claim to the Wildfire Fund under AB 1054 to satisfy settled or finally adjudicated eligible claims in excess of such amount. Under California law (including Penal Code section 1202.4), if the Utility were convicted of any of the charges in the Zogg Complaint relating to the 2020 Zogg fire, the sentencing court must order the Utility to “make restitution to the victim or victims in an amount established by court order” that is “sufficient to fully reimburse the victim or victims for every determined economic loss incurred as the result of” the Utility’s underlying conduct, in addition to interest and the victim’s or victims’ attorneys’ fees. This requirement for full reimbursement of economic loss is not waivable by either the government or the victim and is not offset by any compensation that the victims have received or may receive from their insurance carriers. In the event that the Utility were convicted of certain charges in the Zogg Complaint relating to the 2020 Zogg fire, the Utility currently believes that, depending on which charges it were to be convicted of, its total losses associated with the 2020 Zogg fire would materially exceed the $375 million aggregate liability that PG&E Corporation and the Utility have recorded to reflect the lower end of the range of the reasonably estimable range of losses for the 2020 Zogg fire civil claims. The Utility is currently unable to determine a reasonable estimate of the amount of such additional losses. The Utility does not expect that any of its liability insurance would be available to cover restitution payments ordered by the court presiding over the criminal proceeding. PG&E Corporation and the Utility intend to continue to review the available information and other information as it becomes available, including evidence in Cal Fire’s possession, evidence from or held by other parties, claims that have not yet been submitted, and additional information about the nature and extent of personal and business property damages and losses, the nature, number and severity of personal injuries, and information made available through the discovery process. In particular, PG&E Corporation and the Utility have not had access to all of the evidence obtained by Cal Fire or other third parties. The Utility has liability insurance from various insurers, which provides coverage for third-party liability attributable to the 2020 Zogg fire in an aggregate amount of $611 million. This amount is reduced from the $867.5 million of coverage disclosed in the 2020 Form 10-K due to the Utility’s commuting certain insurance policies in connection with its April 2021 wildfire liability insurance renewal. The Utility records insurance recoveries when it is deemed probable that recovery will occur, and the Utility can reasonably estimate the amount or its range. As of September 30, 2021, the Utility has recorded an insurance receivable for $331 million for probable insurance recoveries in connection with the 2020 Zogg fire, which equals the $375 million probable loss estimate less an initial self-insured retention of $60 million, plus $16 million in legal fees incurred. PG&E Corporation and the Utility intend to seek full recovery for all insured losses. Recovery under the Utility’s insurance policies for the 2021 Dixie fire will reduce the amount of insurance proceeds available for the 2020 Zogg fire. If PG&E Corporation and the Utility are unable to recover the full amount of their insurance, PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows could be materially affected. 2021 Dixie Fire On July 18, 2021, the Utility submitted an EIR (the “Dixie EIR”) reporting that on July 13, 2021, at approximately 4:40 p.m. Pacific Time, a wildfire was observed in the Feather River Canyon near Cresta Dam (the “2021 Dixie fire”), located in the service territory of the Utility. The last Cal Fire incident update, dated October 25, 2021 at 7:46 a.m., reported that the 2021 Dixie fire had consumed 963,309 acres in areas of Butte County, Plumas County, Tehama County, Lassen County, and Shasta County; that incident update also reported 1,329 structures destroyed (including 717 residential structures), 95 structures damaged, and one fatality, which according to a report on the U.S. Forest Service website was a fire fighter who passed away due to COVID-19 after returning home from the 2021 Dixie fire. The Dixie EIR indicated, among other things, that: •On July 13, 2021 at approximately 7:00 a.m., the Utility’s outage system indicated that Cresta Dam off of Highway 70 in the Feather River Canyon lost power; •Due to the challenging terrain and road work resulting in a bridge closure, the responding Utility troubleman was not able to reach the pole with the fuse until approximately 4:40 p.m.; •There the responding Utility troubleman observed two of three fuses opened and what appeared to him to be a healthy green tree leaning into the Bucks Creek 1101 12 kV conductor, which was still intact and suspended on the poles; and •The responding Utility troubleman also observed a fire on the ground near the base of the tree. After submitting the Dixie EIR, the Utility learned that it was notified of the outage by the Rock Creek Switching Center receiving Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition alarms indicating a loss of power at the Utility’s Cresta Dam, rather than the outage system. On August 13, 2021, the Utility submitted a supplemental EIR (“20-Day Report”) to the CPUC disclosing additional detail then known about the 2021 Dixie fire. On July 18, 2021, Cal Fire allowed the Utility to observe while Cal Fire took possession of some Utility equipment as part of Cal Fire’s ongoing investigation into the cause of the 2021 Dixie fire. Cal Fire has not issued a determination as to the cause. Subsequent to the ignition of the 2021 Dixie fire, according to the National Wildfire Coordinating Group’s InciWeb incident overview (the “incident overview”), a wildfire began on July 22, 2021 at approximately 5:15 p.m. Pacific Time 3.5 miles north of Quincy in Plumas County, California (the “2021 Fly fire”), located in the service territory of the Utility. The incident overview reports as of July 25, 2021 at 12:00 a.m. that the 2021 Fly fire had consumed 4,300 acres and was 5% contained and that, as of the night of July 24/25, the 2021 Fly fire had merged with the 2021 Dixie fire and that the incident overview would not be providing further updates on the 2021 Fly fire. For the purposes of estimating potential liabilities, the 2021 Fly fire is being considered a part of the 2021 Dixie fire. The cause of the 2021 Dixie fire remains under investigation by Cal Fire, and PG&E Corporation and the Utility are cooperating with its investigation. The Butte County, Plumas County, Shasta County, Lassen County and Tehama County District Attorneys’ Offices are investigating the fire; various other entities, which may include other state and federal law enforcement agencies, may also be investigating the fire. PG&E Corporation and the Utility have received document and information requests from Cal Fire and the Butte County District Attorney’s Office. PG&E Corporation and the Utility have received data requests from the SED and OEIS relating to the 2021 Dixie fire. On October 7, 2021, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California served PG&E Corporation and the Utility with a subpoena for the production of documents. It is uncertain when any such investigations will be complete. PG&E Corporation and the Utility are also conducting their own investigation into the cause of the 2021 Dixie fire. This investigation is preliminary and ongoing, and PG&E Corporation and the Utility do not have access to all of the evidence in the possession of Cal Fire or other third parties. Potential liabilities related to the 2021 Dixie fire depend on various factors, including the cause of the fire, contributing causes of the fire (including alternative potential origins, weather- and climate-related issues), the number, size and type of structures damaged or destroyed, the contents of such structures and other personal property damage, the number and types of trees damaged or destroyed, attorneys’ fees for claimants, the nature and extent of any personal injuries, including the loss of lives, the amount of fire suppression and clean-up costs, other damages the Utility may be responsible for if found negligent, and the amount of any penalties, fines, or restitution that may be imposed by governmental entities. If the Utility’s facilities, such as its electric distribution lines, are judicially determined to be the substantial cause of the 2021 Dixie fire, and the doctrine of inverse condemnation applies, the Utility could be liable for property damage, business interruption, interest and attorneys’ fees without having been found negligent. For more information regarding the inverse condemnation doctrine, see “2019 Kincade Fire” above. As of October 27, 2021, PG&E Corporation and the Utility are aware of approximately 10 complaints on behalf of at least 676 plaintiffs related to the 2021 Dixie fire and expect that they may receive further such complaints. The complaints were filed in the California Superior Court for the County of Plumas, the California Superior Court for the County of Shasta, and the California Superior Court for the County of San Francisco, and include claims based on multiple theories of liability, including inverse condemnation, negligence, violations of the Public Utilities Code, violations of the Health & Safety Code, premises liability, trespass, public nuisance and private nuisance. The plaintiffs in each action principally assert that PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s alleged failure to properly maintain, inspect, and de-energize their distribution lines was the cause of the 2021 Dixie fire. The plaintiffs seek damages that include property damage, economic loss, punitive damages, exemplary damages, attorneys’ fees and other damages. Additional investigations and other actions may arise out of the 2021 Dixie fire. The timing and outcome for resolution of any such claims or investigations are uncertain. Based on the current state of the law concerning inverse condemnation in California and the facts and circumstances available to PG&E Corporation and the Utility as of the date of this filing, including the information contained in the Dixie EIR and other information gathered as part of PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s investigation, PG&E Corporation and the Utility believe it is probable that they will incur a loss in connection with the 2021 Dixie fire. PG&E Corporation and the Utility recorded a liability in the aggregate amount of $1.15 billion for the quarter ended September 30, 2021 (before available recoveries). The aggregate liability of $1.15 billion for claims in connection with the 2021 Dixie fire (before available recoveries) corresponds to the lower end of the range of PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s reasonably estimable range of losses and is subject to change based on additional information. The $1.15 billion estimate does not include, among other things: (i) any amounts for potential penalties, fines, or restitution that may be imposed by courts or other governmental entities on PG&E Corporation or the Utility, (ii) any punitive damages, (iii) any amounts in respect of compensation claims by federal agencies, including for damage to land and vegetation in national parks or national forests or fire suppression costs, or by state, county and local agencies, including for fire suppression costs, (iv) evacuation costs, or (v) any other amounts that are not reasonably estimable. In addition to claims for property damage, business interruption, interest and attorneys’ fees under inverse condemnation, PG&E Corporation and the Utility could be liable for fire suppression costs, evacuation costs, medical expenses, personal injury damages, punitive damages and other damages under other theories of liability in connection with the 2021 Dixie fire, including if PG&E Corporation or the Utility were found to have been negligent. As noted above, the aggregate estimated liability for claims in connection with the 2021 Dixie fire does not include potential claims for fire suppression costs from federal, state, county or local agencies or damage to land and vegetation in national parks or national forests. As to these damages, PG&E Corporation and the Utility have not concluded that a loss is probable due to the incomplete information available to PG&E Corporation and the Utility as of the date of this filing as to facts pertinent to potential claims and defenses. Moreover, PG&E Corporation and the Utility are currently unable to reasonably estimate the range of possible loss for any such claims due to, among other factors, incomplete information as to facts pertinent to potential claims and defenses, as well as facts that would bear on the amount, type, and valuation of vegetation and other resources damaged or destroyed by the fire. PG&E Corporation and the Utility believe, however, that such losses could be significant with respect to fire suppression costs due to the size and duration of the 2021 Dixie fire and corresponding magnitude of fire suppression resources dedicated to fighting the wildfire and with respect to claims for damage to land and vegetation in national parks or national forests due to the very large number of acres of national park and national forests that were affected by the 2021 Dixie fire. According to the National Interagency Coordination Center Incident Management Situation Report dated October 22, 2021 at 7:30 a.m. Mountain Time, over $630 million of costs had been incurred in suppressing the 2021 Dixie fire. PG&E currently estimates that the fire burned approximately 70,000 acres of national park and approximately 685,000 acres of national forests. The Utility records insurance recoveries when it is deemed probable that recovery will occur, and the Utility can reasonably estimate the amount or its range. The Utility has liability insurance from various insurers, which provides coverage for third-party liability attributable to periods in which both the 2020 Zogg fire and 2021 Dixie fire occurred in an aggregate amount of $900 million. Recovery under the Utility’s insurance policies for the 2020 Zogg fire will reduce the amount of insurance proceeds available for the 2021 Dixie fire. As of September 30, 2021, the Utility has recorded an insurance receivable of $569 million for probable insurance recoveries in connection with the 2021 Dixie fire, which equals the aggregate $900 million of available insurance coverage for third-party liability attributable to the 2021 Dixie fire, less the $331 million insurance receivable recorded in connection with the 2020 Zogg fire. While the Utility plans to seek recovery of all insured losses, it is unable to predict the ultimate amount and timing of such insurance recoveries. To the extent liabilities related to the 2021 Dixie fire exceed $1.0 billion, the Utility would be eligible to make a claim to the Wildfire Fund under AB 1054 to satisfy settled or finally adjudicated eligible claims in excess of such amount. As of September 30, 2021, the Utility has recorded a Wildfire Fund receivable of $150 million for probable recoveries in connection with the 2021 Dixie fire. (See “Wildfire Fund under AB 1054” below.) The Utility has also recorded a $98 million reduction to its regulatory liability for wildfire-related claims costs that were determined to be probable of recovery through the FERC TO formula rate and a $339 million regulatory asset for costs that were determined to be probable of recovery through the WEMA. (See “Regulatory Recovery” below). The cause of the 2021 Dixie fire remains under investigation and there are a number of unknown facts surrounding the cause of the 2021 Dixie fire, the Utility’s liability for the fire, and if liability is incurred, the Utility’s ability to seek recovery of costs from insurance, the Wildfire Fund (or whether such amounts are required to be reimbursed) and regulatory recovery. The Utility could be subject to significant liability in connection with this fire. If such liability was not recoverable from insurance or the other mechanisms described herein, it could have a material impact on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows. Loss Recoveries PG&E Corporation and the Utility have recovery mechanisms available for wildfire liabilities including from insurance, customers, and the Wildfire Fund. Failure to obtain substantial or full recovery of costs related to wildfires in a timely manner or any conclusion that such recovery is no longer probable could have a material effect on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows. Total probable recoveries for the 2021 Dixie fire as of September 30, 2021 are:
Recovery sources (in millions) | 2021 Dixie fire
Insurance | $ | 569 |
FERC TO rates | 98 |
WEMA | 339 |
AB 1054 Wildfire Fund | 150 |
Probable recoveries at September 30, 2021 | $ | 1,156 |
Insurance Insurance Coverage In April 2021, the Utility purchased approximately $268 million in wildfire liability insurance coverage for the period of April 13, 2021 to April 1, 2022, and approximately $32 million in wildfire liability reinsurance for the period of April 1, 2021 to April 1, 2022 at a cost of approximately $220 million. This coverage is in addition to approximately $11 million in existing wildfire liability reinsurance for the period of July 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021 and approximately $600 million in existing wildfire liability insurance purchased by the Utility in August 2020 for the period of August 1, 2020 to August 1, 2021. On August 1, 2021, the $600 million of existing wildfire liability coverage renewed on a 12-month term covering the period of August 1, 2021 to August 1, 2022 at a cost of approximately $516 million pursuant to multi-year policy terms. The Utility’s wildfire liability insurance is subject to an initial self-insured retention of $60 million. In June 2021, the Utility purchased approximately $535 million in non-wildfire liability coverage for the period of June 1, 2021 to April 1, 2022 at a cost of approximately $89 million. This coverage is in addition to approximately $140 million in existing non-wildfire liability insurance for the period of August 1, 2020 to August 1, 2021. In connection with the June 2021 renewal, the Utility procured an extension of this existing coverage to April 1, 2022 at a premium cost of approximately $30 million. The Utility also has $50 million in additional non-wildfire liability coverage available through one of its wildfire liability policies with shared limits. The Utility’s non-wildfire liability insurance is subject to an initial self-insured retention of $10 million. As of September 30, 2021, PG&E Corporation and the Utility had prepaid insurance of $537 million, reflected in Other current assets on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Various coverage limitations applicable to different insurance layers could result in material uninsured costs in the future depending on the amount and type of damages resulting from covered events. In the Utility’s 2020 GRC proceeding, the CPUC also approved a settlement agreement provision that allows the Utility to recover annual insurance costs for up to $1.4 billion in general liability insurance coverage. An advice letter is required for additional coverage purchased by the Utility in excess of $1.4 billion in coverage. Insurance Receivable PG&E Corporation and the Utility record a receivable for insurance recoveries when it is deemed probable that recovery of a recorded loss will occur. Through September 30, 2021, PG&E Corporation and the Utility recorded $430 million for probable insurance recoveries in connection with the 2019 Kincade fire, $331 million for probable insurance recoveries in connection with the 2020 Zogg fire and $569 million for probable insurance recoveries in connection with the 2021 Dixie fire. PG&E Corporation and the Utility intend to seek full recovery for all insured losses. If PG&E Corporation and the Utility are unable to recover the full amount of their insurance, PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows could be materially affected. The balances for insurance receivables with respect to wildfires are included in Other accounts receivable in PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets:
Insurance Receivable (in millions) | 2021 Dixie fire |  | 2020 Zogg fire |  | 2019 Kincade fire |  | 2017 Northern California wildfires |  | Total
Balance at December 31, 2020 | $ | — |  |  | $ | 219 |  |  | $ | 430 |  |  | $ | 25 |  |  | $ | 674 |
Accrued insurance recoveries | 569 |  |  | 112 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 681 |
Reimbursements | — |  |  | — |  |  | (16) |  |  | (25) |  |  | (41) |
Balance at September 30, 2021 | $ | 569 |  |  | $ | 331 |  |  | $ | 414 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 1,314 |
Regulatory Recovery FERC TO rates The Utility recognizes income and reduces its regulatory liability for potential refund through the FERC TO formula rate in future rates for a portion of the third party wildfire-related claims in excess of insurance coverage. The allocation to transmission customers was based on a FERC-approved allocation factor as determined in the formula rate. Based on information currently available to the Utility regarding the 2021 Dixie fire, for the quarter ended September 30, 2021, the Utility recorded a $98 million reduction to its regulatory liability for wildfire-related claims costs that were determined to be probable of recovery through the FERC TO formula rate. WEMA In June 2018, the CPUC approved the establishment of the WEMA, which provides for tracking of incremental wildfire claims and outside legal costs plus incremental insurance premium costs above what is being recovered in rates. As noted above, the Utility capitalizes and records as regulatory assets costs that would otherwise be charged to expense if it is probable that the incurred costs will be recovered in future rates. For the quarter ended September 30, 2021, based on information currently available to the Utility, incremental wildfire claims-related costs for the 2021 Dixie fire were determined to be probable of recovery through the WEMA and the Utility recorded a $339 million regulatory asset. Wildfire Fund under AB 1054 On July 12, 2019, the California governor signed into law AB 1054, a bill which provides for the establishment of a statewide fund that will be available for eligible electric utility companies to pay eligible claims for liabilities arising from wildfires occurring after July 12, 2019 that are caused by the applicable electric utility company’s equipment, subject to the terms and conditions of AB 1054. Eligible claims are claims for third party damages resulting from any such wildfires, limited to the portion of such claims that exceeds the greater of (i) $1.0 billion in the aggregate in any year (“Coverage Year”) and (ii) the amount of insurance coverage required to be in place for the electric utility company pursuant to section 3293 of the Public Utilities Code, added by AB 1054. Eligible electric utility companies must declare a Coverage Year of exactly twelve months, that commences as of a certain date and time, to the administrator of the Wildfire Fund. PG&E Corporation and the Utility have yet to make a formal declaration to the Wildfire Fund administrator. The accrued Wildfire Fund receivable as of September 30, 2021 reflects an expectation that the Coverage Year will be based on the calendar year with coverage limited to the 2021 Dixie Fire. Electric utility companies that draw from the Wildfire Fund will only be required to reimburse amounts that are determined by the CPUC in a proceeding for cost recovery applying the prudency standard in AB 1054, not to be just and reasonable, subject to a disallowance cap equal to 20% of the IOU’s transmission and distribution equity rate base. For the Utility, the disallowance cap would be approximately $2.9 billion based on its 2021 equity rate base, and is subject to adjustment based on changes in the Utility’s total transmission and distribution equity rate base and would apply for a three calendar year period. The disallowance cap is inapplicable in certain circumstances, including if the Wildfire Fund administrator determines that the electric utility company’s actions or inactions that resulted in the applicable wildfire constituted “conscious or willful disregard for the rights and safety of others,” or the electric utility company fails to maintain a valid safety certification. Costs that the CPUC determines to be just and reasonable in accordance with the prudency standard in AB 1054 will not be reimbursed to the Wildfire Fund, resulting in a draw-down of the Wildfire Fund. The same prudency standard will be applied in any CPUC review of an application filed by the Utility seeking recovery of costs recorded to WEMA. Before the expiration of any current safety certification, the Utility must request a new safety certification from the OEIS, which the Utility expects to be issued within 90 days if the Utility has provided documentation that it has satisfied the requirements for the safety certification pursuant to section 8389(e) of the Public Utilities Code, added by AB 1054. Those requirements are: (i) the electrical corporation has an approved WMP, (ii) the electrical corporation is in good standing, which can be satisfied by the electrical corporation having agreed to implement the findings of its most recent safety culture assessment, if applicable, (iii) the electrical corporation has established a safety committee of its board of directors composed of members with relevant safety experience, (iv) the electrical corporation has established an executive incentive compensation structure approved by the division and structured to promote safety as a priority and to ensure public safety and utility financial stability with performance metrics, including incentive compensation based on meeting performance metrics that are measurable and enforceable, for all executive officers, (v) the electrical corporation has established board-of-director-level reporting to the CPUC on safety issues, and (vi) the electrical corporation has established a compensation structure for any new or amended contracts for executive officers, as set forth in section 8389(e) of the Public Utilities Code. An issued safety certification is valid for 12 months or until a timely request for a new safety certification is acted upon, whichever occurs later. On January 14, 2021, the OEIS approved the Utility’s 2020 application and issued the Utility’s 2020 Safety Certification pursuant to the requirements of AB 1054. The safety certification is separate from the CPUC’s enforcement authority and does not preclude the CPUC from pursuing remedies for safety or other applicable violations. The 2020 Safety Certification is valid for 12 months or until a timely request for a new safety certification is acted upon, whichever occurs later. On January 26, 2021, TURN filed with the CPUC a request for review of OEIS’ issuance of the safety certification, which the CPUC declined to provide on April 14, 2021. The Wildfire Fund and disallowance cap will be terminated when the amounts therein are exhausted. The Wildfire Fund is expected to be capitalized with (i) $10.5 billion of proceeds of bonds supported by a 15-year extension of the Department of Water Resources charge to customers, (ii) $7.5 billion in initial contributions from California’s three large electric IOUs and (iii) $300 million in annual contributions paid by California’s three large electric IOUs for a 10-year period. For more information regarding contributions to the Wildfire Fund, see Note 3 above. The Wildfire Fund will only be available for payment of eligible claims so long as there are sufficient funds remaining in the Wildfire Fund. Such funds could be depleted more quickly than expected, including as a result of claims made by California’s other participating electric utility companies. The Wildfire Fund is available to pay for the Utility’s eligible claims arising as of July 12, 2019, the effective date of AB 1054, subject to a limit of 40% of the allowed amount of such claims arising between the effective date of AB 1054 and the Utility’s emergence from Chapter 11. The 40% limit does not apply to eligible claims that arise after the Utility’s emergence from Chapter 11. PG&E Corporation and the Utility record a receivable for the Wildfire Fund when it is deemed probable that recovery of a recorded loss will occur. As of September 30, 2021, PG&E Corporation and the Utility recorded $150 million in Other noncurrent assets for Wildfire Fund receivables related to the 2021 Dixie fire. For more information see Note 3 above and Note 14 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of the 2020 Form 10-K. Wildfire-Related Derivative Litigation Two purported derivative lawsuits alleging claims for breach of fiduciary duties and unjust enrichment were filed in San Francisco County Superior Court on November 16, 2017 and November 20, 2017, respectively, naming as defendants certain then-current and former members of the boards of directors and certain then-current and former officers of PG&E Corporation and the Utility. PG&E Corporation and the Utility are named as nominal defendants. These lawsuits were consolidated by the court on February 14, 2018 and denominated In Re California North Bay Fire Derivative Litigation (now re-captioned Trotter v. Williams et al.). On April 13, 2018, the plaintiffs filed a consolidated complaint. After the parties reached an agreement regarding a stay of the derivative proceeding pending resolution of the tort actions described above and any regulatory proceeding relating to the 2017 Northern California wildfires, on April 24, 2018, the court entered a stipulation and order to stay. The stay was subject to certain conditions regarding the plaintiffs’ access to discovery in other actions. On January 28, 2019, the plaintiffs filed a request to lift the stay for the purposes of amending their complaint to add allegations regarding the 2018 Camp fire. Prior to resolution of the plaintiffs’ request to lift the stay, this matter was automatically stayed by PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s commencement of the Chapter 11 Cases. PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s rights with respect to PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s claims directly or indirectly related to any of the Fires (as defined in the Plan) against former officers and directors of PG&E Corporation and the Utility were assigned to the Fire Victim Trust under the Plan. Any such recovery is limited to the extent of any director and officer insurance policy proceeds paid by any insurance carrier to reimburse PG&E Corporation or the Utility for amounts paid pursuant to their indemnification obligations in connection with such causes of action. The assignment became effective as of the Effective Date of the Plan. On November 12, 2020, the trustee for the Fire Victim Trust filed a motion to intervene to substitute as the plaintiff in the matter, to which the parties later stipulated. On March 8, 2021, the court granted the parties’ stipulation to substitute the trustee for the Fire Victim Trust as the plaintiff. On December 24, 2018, a separate derivative lawsuit, entitled Bowlinger v. Chew, et al. (now captioned Trotter v. Chew, et al.), was filed in San Francisco Superior Court, alleging claims for breach of fiduciary duty, abuse of control, corporate waste, and unjust enrichment in connection with the 2018 Camp fire against certain then-current and former officers and directors, and naming PG&E Corporation and the Utility as nominal defendants. On February 5, 2019, the plaintiff filed a response to the notice asserting that the automatic stay did not apply to his claims. PG&E Corporation and the Utility accordingly filed a Motion to Enforce the Automatic Stay with the Bankruptcy Court as to the Bowlinger action, which was granted. On November 5, 2020, the court entered a stipulation and order to substitute the trustee for the Fire Victim Trust as the plaintiff. On February 24, 2021, the trustee filed an amended complaint in the Trotter v. Chew action, asserting two claims for breach of fiduciary duty against certain of PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s former directors and officers. Neither PG&E Corporation nor the Utility is a party to the action. A case management conference was held on March 18, 2021 and the Trotter v. Chew and Trotter v. Williams actions were consolidated on March 30, 2021. A hearing on the defendants’ demurrers and a further case management conference was held August 4, 2021, and the demurrers have been taken under submission. Trial is set for June 27, 2022. On January 25, 2019, a separate purported derivative lawsuit, entitled Hagberg v. Chew, et al., was filed in San Francisco Superior Court, alleging claims for breach of fiduciary duty, abuse of control, corporate waste, and unjust enrichment in connection with the 2018 Camp fire against certain then-current and former officers and directors, and naming PG&E Corporation and the Utility as nominal defendants. A stipulation and proposed order to voluntarily dismiss this action was filed on April 20, 2021 and a case management conference on the dismissal order is set for December 8, 2021. The above purported derivative lawsuits were brought against the named defendants on behalf of PG&E Corporation or the Utility. As a result of the assignment of these claims to the Fire Victim Trust, any recovery based on these claims would be paid to the Fire Victim Trust. Any such recovery is limited to the extent of any director and officer insurance policy proceeds paid by any insurance carrier to reimburse PG&E Corporation or the Utility for amounts paid pursuant to their indemnification obligations in connection with such causes of action. Securities Class Action Litigation Wildfire-Related Securities Class Action In June 2018, two purported securities class actions were filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California (the “District Court”), naming PG&E Corporation and certain of its then-current and former officers as defendants, entitled David C. Weston v. PG&E Corporation, et al. and Jon Paul Moretti v. PG&E Corporation, et al., respectively. The complaints alleged material misrepresentations and omissions related to, among other things, vegetation management and transmission line safety in various PG&E Corporation public disclosures. The complaints asserted claims under section 10(b) and section 20(a) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, and sought unspecified monetary relief, interest, attorneys’ fees and other costs. Both complaints identified a proposed class period of April 29, 2015 to June 8, 2018. On September 10, 2018, the court consolidated both cases, and the litigation is now denominated In re PG&E Corporation Securities Litigation. U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Case No. 18-03509. The court also appointed the Public Employees Retirement Association of New Mexico (“PERA”) as lead plaintiff. PERA filed a consolidated amended complaint on November 9, 2018. On December 14, 2018, PERA filed a second amended consolidated complaint to add allegations regarding the 2018 Camp fire. Due to the commencement of the Chapter 11 Cases, the proceedings were automatically stayed as to PG&E Corporation and the Utility. On February 22, 2019, a third purported securities class action was filed in the District Court, entitled York County on behalf of the York County Retirement Fund, et al. v. Rambo, et al. (the “York County Action”). The complaint names as defendants certain then-current and former officers and directors, as well as the underwriters of four public offerings of notes from 2016 to 2018. Neither PG&E Corporation nor the Utility is named as a defendant. The complaint alleges material misrepresentations and omissions in connection with the note offerings related to, among other things, PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s vegetation management and wildfire safety measures. The complaint asserts claims under section 11 and section 15 of the Securities Act, and seeks unspecified monetary relief, attorneys’ fees and other costs, and injunctive relief. On May 7, 2019, the York County Action was consolidated with In re PG&E Corporation Securities Litigation. On May 28, 2019, the plaintiffs in the consolidated securities actions filed a third amended consolidated class action complaint, which includes the claims asserted in the previously filed actions and names as defendants PG&E Corporation, the Utility, certain current and former officers and former directors, and the underwriters. On August 28, 2019, the Bankruptcy Court denied PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s request to extend the stay to the claims against the officer, director, and underwriter defendants. On October 4, 2019, the officer, director, and underwriter defendants filed motions to dismiss the third amended complaint, which motions are under submission with the District Court. The securities actions have been enjoined as to PG&E Corporation and the Utility pursuant to the Plan with any such claims submitted through a proof of claim to be resolved by the Bankruptcy Court as part of the claims reconciliation process in the Chapter 11 Cases. On April 29, 2021, the District Court issued a notice of intent to stay this action pending conclusion of the bankruptcy proceedings. PERA filed objections to the notice of intent to stay on May 28, 2021. PG&E Corporation and the Utility filed a response to PERA’s objections on June 10, 2021, the officer, director, and underwriter defendants filed a response to PERA’s objections on June 11, 2021, and PERA filed a sur-response on June 21, 2021. The District Court has not taken further action with respect to its notice of intent to stay. Satisfaction of HoldCo Rescission or Damage Claims and Subordinated Debt Claims Claims against PG&E Corporation and the Utility relating to, among others, the three purported securities class actions (described above) that have been consolidated and denominated In re PG&E Corporation Securities Litigation, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Case No. 18-03509, will be resolved pursuant to the Plan. As described above, these claims consist of pre-petition claims under the federal securities laws related to, among other things, allegedly misleading statements or omissions with respect to vegetation management and wildfire safety disclosures, and are classified into separate categories under the Plan, each of which is subject to subordination under the Bankruptcy Code. The first category of claims consists of pre-petition claims arising from or related to the common stock of PG&E Corporation (such claims, with certain other similar claims against PG&E Corporation, the “HoldCo Rescission or Damage Claims”). The second category of pre-petition claims, which comprises two separate classes under the Plan, consists of claims arising from debt securities issued by PG&E Corporation and the Utility (such claims, with certain other similar claims against PG&E Corporation and the Utility, the “Subordinated Debt Claims,” and together with the HoldCo Rescission or Damage Claims, the “Subordinated Claims”). While PG&E Corporation and the Utility believe they have defenses to the Subordinated Claims, as well as insurance coverage that may be available with respect to the Subordinated Claims, these defenses may not prevail and any such insurance coverage may not be adequate to cover the full amount of the allowed claims. In that case, PG&E Corporation and the Utility will be required, pursuant to the Plan, to satisfy any such allowed claims as follows: •each holder of an allowed HoldCo Rescission or Damage Claim will receive a number of shares of common stock of PG&E Corporation equal to such holder’s HoldCo Rescission or Damage Claim Share (as such term is defined in the Plan); and •each holder of an allowed Subordinated Debt Claim will receive payment in full in cash. PG&E Corporation and the Utility have been engaged in settlement efforts with respect to the Subordinated Claims. If the Subordinated Claims are not settled (with any such resolution being subject to the approval of the Bankruptcy Court), PG&E Corporation and the Utility expect that the Subordinated Claims will be resolved by the Bankruptcy Court in the claims reconciliation process and treated as described above under the Plan. Under the Plan, after the Effective Date, PG&E Corporation and the Utility have the authority to compromise, settle, object to, or otherwise resolve proofs of claim, and the Bankruptcy Court retains jurisdiction to hear disputes arising in connection with disputed claims. With respect to the Subordinated Claims, the claims reconciliation process may include litigation of the merits of such claims, including the filing of motions, fact discovery, and expert discovery. The total number and amount of allowed Subordinated Claims, if any, was not determined at the Effective Date. To the extent any such claims are allowed, the total amount of such claims could be material, and therefore could result in (a) the issuance of a material number of shares of common stock of PG&E Corporation with respect to allowed HoldCo Rescission or Damage Claims, or (b) the payment of a material amount of cash with respect to allowed Subordinated Debt Claims. There can be no assurance that such claims will not have a material adverse impact on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows. Further, if shares are issued in respect of allowed HoldCo Rescission or Damage Claims, it may be determined that, under the Plan, the Fire Victim Trust should receive additional shares of common stock of PG&E Corporation (assuming, for this purpose, that shares issued in respect of the HoldCo Rescission or Damage Claims were issued on the Effective Date). The named plaintiffs in the consolidated securities actions filed proofs of claim with the Bankruptcy Court on or before the bar date that reflect their securities litigation claims against PG&E Corporation and the Utility. On December 9, 2019, PERA filed a motion seeking approval from the Bankruptcy Court to treat its proof of claim as a class proof of claim. On February 27, 2020, the Bankruptcy Court issued an order denying the motion, but extending the bar date for putative class members to file proofs of claim until April 16, 2020. On March 6, 2020, PERA filed a notice of appeal regarding the denial of its motion. On March 8, 2021, the District Court issued an order dismissing the appeal. On July 2, 2020, PERA filed a notice of appeal of the Confirmation Order to the District Court, solely to the extent of seeking review of that part of the Confirmation Order approving the Insurance Deduction (as defined in the Plan) with respect to the formula for the determination of the HoldCo Rescission or Damage Claims Share. On February 16, 2021, the TCC filed a motion to dismiss PERA’s appeal. On March 9, 2021, PERA filed its opposition to the motion to dismiss, and on March 16, 2021, PG&E Corporation and the Utility filed a statement with respect to the motion to dismiss. On August 10, 2021, the District Court issued an order affirming the Bankruptcy Court’s ruling with respect to the Insurance Deduction, and denied as moot the TCC’s motion to dismiss. On September 9, 2021, PERA filed a notice of appeal of the District Court’s order to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The appeal to the Ninth Circuit remains pending. On September 1, 2020, PG&E Corporation and the Utility filed a motion (the “Securities Claims Procedures Motion”) with the Bankruptcy Court to approve procedures to help facilitate the resolution of the Subordinated Claims. The motion, among other things, requested approval of procedures which allow PG&E Corporation and the Utility to collect trading information with respect to the Subordinated Claims, to engage in an alternative dispute resolution process for resolving disputed Subordinated Claims, and to file certain omnibus claim objections with respect to the Subordinated Claims. PERA and a number of other parties filed objections to the Securities Claims Procedures Motion. On January 25, 2021, the Bankruptcy Court granted the Securities Claims Procedures Motion. PG&E Corporation and the Utility have been working to resolve the Subordinated Claims in accordance with the procedures approved by the Bankruptcy Court, including by requesting trading information from holders of Subordinated Claims. Pursuant to those procedures, PG&E Corporation and the Utility have filed in the Bankruptcy Court 16 separate omnibus objections to certain of the Subordinated Claims. The Bankruptcy Court has entered several orders disallowing and expunging Subordinated Claims that were subject to these omnibus objections and several omnibus objections remain pending. PG&E Corporation and the Utility expect to file additional omnibus objections with respect to certain of the Subordinated Claims and to continue to act under the procedures approved by the Bankruptcy Court to resolve the Subordinated Claims. De-energization Securities Class Action On October 25, 2019, a purported securities class action was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, entitled Vataj v. Johnson et al. The complaint named as defendants a then-current director and certain then-current and former officers of PG&E Corporation. Neither PG&E Corporation nor the Utility was named as a defendant. The complaint alleged materially false and misleading statements regarding PG&E Corporation’s wildfire prevention and safety protocols and policies, including regarding the Utility’s PSPS events, that allegedly resulted in losses and damages to holders of PG&E Corporation’s securities. The complaint asserted claims under section 10(b) and section 20(a) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, and sought unspecified monetary relief, attorneys’ fees and other costs. On February 3, 2020, the District Court granted a stipulation appointing co-lead plaintiffs and approving the selection of the plaintiffs’ counsel. On April 17, 2020, the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint asserting the same claims. The amended complaint added PG&E Corporation and a current officer of PG&E Corporation as defendants, and no longer asserts claims against certain current and former officers of PG&E Corporation previously named in the action. On May 15, 2020, the officer defendants filed their motion to dismiss in Vataj. On June 19, 2020, the lead plaintiff filed its opposition to the motion to dismiss. On July 10, 2020, the officer defendants filed their reply. In October 2020, the parties reached a settlement agreement in principle, and on October 29, 2020, filed a joint notice of settlement, informing the District Court that they have agreed in principle to settle the matter. On February 16, 2021, plaintiffs filed a motion for preliminary approval of the settlement with the District Court, and the District Court issued an order terminating as moot the pending motion to dismiss, without prejudice. Pursuant to the settlement stipulation, subject to certain conditions: (1) PG&E Corporation will pay $10 million into an interest-bearing escrow account within 14 days after the District Court’s preliminary approval of the settlement; and (2) plaintiffs and the Settlement Class (as defined in the stipulation of settlement) will release the Released Persons (as defined the stipulation of settlement, including PG&E Corporation and the Utility, and each of their officers, directors, as well as the current and former officers named in both the original and amended complaints) from all claims that have been or could have been asserted by or on behalf of PG&E Corporation shareholders that relate to (a) allegations that were asserted or could have been asserted in either of the complaints in Vataj, and (b) investments in PG&E Corporation’s stock during the relevant period specified in the stipulated settlement. The settlement is subject to the District Court’s approval and its terms may change as a result of the settlement approval process. The preliminary settlement approval hearing was held on March 11, 2021, where the District Court requested certain supplemental filings, which the parties filed on March 18, 2021. On April 20, 2021, the District Court granted the motion for preliminary approval of the settlement. On July 12, 2021, the plaintiffs filed a motion for final approval of the settlement. At a final hearing to approve the settlement on September 16, 2021, the District Court requested further information from the plaintiffs, which they provided. The District Court has since taken the matter under submission. If the District Court approves the settlement and enters a judgment substantially in the form requested by the parties, the settlement will become effective when certain conditions specified in the settlement stipulation are satisfied, including the expiration of any right to appeal the judgment. Indemnification Obligations and Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance Coverage To the extent permitted by law, PG&E Corporation and the Utility have obligations to indemnify directors and officers for certain events or occurrences while a director or officer is or was serving in such capacity, which indemnification obligations extend to the claims asserted against certain directors and officers in the securities class actions and in the litigation matters enumerated above in Note 10 under the heading “Wildfire-Related Derivative Litigation.” PG&E Corporation and the Utility maintain directors’ and officers’ insurance coverage to reduce their exposure to such indemnification obligations. PG&E Corporation and the Utility have provided notice to their insurance carriers of the claims asserted in the litigation matters enumerated in Note 10 above under the headings “Wildfire-Related Securities Class Action” and “Wildfire-Related Derivative Litigation,” and are in arbitration with the carriers regarding, among other things, the applicability of multiple years of directors’ and officers’ insurance policies to those matters. Recovery under the directors’ and officers’ insurance policies in one such litigation matter may impact the directors’ and officers’ insurance proceeds available in the other matters. On March 17, 2021, the trustee for the Fire Victim Trust filed a lawsuit entitled Trotter v. PG&E Corporation, et al., in San Francisco Superior Court, seeking, among other things, a declaration that the trustee for the Fire Victim Trust be permitted to participate in the arbitration with the carriers. The trustee named PG&E Corporation, the Utility, and the insurance carriers as defendants. On March 25, 2021, PG&E Corporation and the Utility removed the action to the Bankruptcy Court. On March 29, 2021, the Fire Victim Trust made a motion to remand the lawsuit back to state court, which the Bankruptcy Court denied on April 20, 2021. On April 30, 2021, the Fire Victim Trust moved for summary judgment. Oppositions and cross-motions to the summary judgment motion were filed by PG&E Corporation, the Utility and the insurance carriers on May 21, 2021. The Fire Victim Trust filed a reply on May 28, 2021, and the matter was heard on June 15, 2021. On June 22, 2021, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order denying the Fire Victim Trust’s motion for summary judgment and granting the defendants’ cross-motions for summary judgment. On June 29, 2021, the Bankruptcy Court entered judgment in favor of all defendants and against the Fire Victim Trust. PG&E Corporation and the Utility additionally have potential indemnification obligations to the underwriters for the Utility’s note offerings, pursuant to the underwriting agreements associated with those offerings. PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s indemnification obligations to the officers, directors and underwriters may be limited or affected by the Chapter 11 Cases, among other things. The extent of PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s recovery of the directors’ and officers’ insurance proceeds could have a material effect on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows. District Attorneys’ Offices Investigations Following the 2018 Camp fire, the Butte County District Attorney’s Office and the California Attorney General’s Office opened a criminal investigation of the 2018 Camp fire. PG&E Corporation and the Utility were informed by the Butte County District Attorney’s Office and the California Attorney General’s Office that a grand jury had been empaneled in Butte County. On March 17, 2020, the Utility entered into the Plea Agreement and Settlement (the “Plea Agreement”) with the People of the State of California, by and through the Butte County District Attorney’s office to resolve the criminal prosecution of the Utility in connection with the 2018 Camp fire. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plea Agreement, the Utility pleaded guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter in violation of Penal Code section 192(b) and one count of unlawfully causing a fire in violation of Penal Code section 452, and to admit special allegations pursuant to Penal Code sections 452.1(a)(2), 452.1(a)(3) and 452.1(a)(4). On August 20, 2021, the Butte County Superior Court held a brief hearing on the status of restitution, which involves distribution of funds from the Fire Victim Trust, which was established under the Plan of Reorganization in Bankruptcy Court and is managed by a trustee and a claims administrator. The Court continued the hearing to February 25, 2022 for a further update. Following the 2019 Kincade fire, the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office opened a criminal investigation of the 2019 Kincade fire. On April 6, 2021, the Sonoma County District Attorney’s office filed a criminal complaint against the Utility related to the 2019 Kincade fire. For more information, see “2019 Kincade Fire” above. Following the 2020 Zogg fire, the Shasta County District Attorney’s Office opened a criminal investigation of the 2020 Zogg fire. On September 24 2021, the Shasta County District Attorney’s office filed a criminal complaint against the Utility related to the 2020 Zogg fire and three other fires. For more information, see “2020 Zogg Fire” above. Following the 2021 Dixie fire, several District Attorney’s Offices and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California have opened criminal investigations of the 2021 Dixie fire, and potentially other fires (including, the 2021 Bader fire and the 2021 Fly fire). For more information, see “2021 Dixie Fire” above. Additional investigations and other actions may arise out of the 2019 Kincade fire, the 2020 Zogg fire, the 2021 Dixie fire, or other fires. The timing and outcome for resolution of any such investigations are uncertain. OTHER CONTINGENCIES AND COMMITMENTS PG&E Corporation and the Utility have significant contingencies arising from their operations, including contingencies related to enforcement and litigation matters and environmental remediation. A provision for a loss contingency is recorded when it is both probable that a loss has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. PG&E Corporation and the Utility evaluate the range of reasonably estimated losses and record a provision based on the lower end of the range, unless an amount within the range is a better estimate than any other amount. The assessment of whether a loss is probable or reasonably possible, and whether the loss or a range of loss is estimable, often involves a series of complex judgments about future events. Loss contingencies are reviewed quarterly and estimates are adjusted to reflect the impact of all known information, such as negotiations, discovery, settlements and payments, rulings, penalties related to regulatory compliance, advice of legal counsel, and other information and events pertaining to a particular matter. PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s policy is to exclude anticipated legal costs from the provision for loss and expense these costs as incurred. The Utility also has substantial financial commitments in connection with agreements entered into to support its operating activities. See “Purchase Commitments” below. PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity and cash flows may be materially affected by the outcome of the following matters. Enforcement Matters U.S. District Court Matters and Probation In connection with the Utility’s probation proceeding, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California has the ability to impose additional probation conditions on the Utility. Additional conditions, if implemented, could be wide-ranging and would impact the Utility’s operations, number of employees, costs and financial performance. Depending on the terms of these additional requirements, costs in connections with such requirements could have a material effect on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, and cash flows. CPUC and FERC Matters Order Instituting Investigation into the 2017 Northern California Wildfires and the 2018 Camp Fire On June 27, 2019, the CPUC issued the Wildfires OII to determine whether the Utility “violated any provision(s) of the California Public Utilities Code, Commission General Orders or decisions, or other applicable rules or requirements pertaining to the maintenance and operation of its electric facilities that were involved in igniting fires in its service territory in 2017.” On December 5, 2019, the assigned commissioner issued a second amended scoping memo and ruling that amended the scope of issues to be considered in this proceeding to include the 2018 Camp fire. As previously disclosed, on December 17, 2019, the Utility, the SED of the CPUC, the CPUC’s Office of the Safety Advocate, and the Coalition of California Utility Employees (“CUE”) jointly submitted to the CPUC a proposed settlement agreement in connection with this proceeding and jointly moved for its approval. The settlement agreement became effective on the Effective Date. Pursuant to the settlement agreement, the Utility agreed to (i) not seek rate recovery of wildfire-related expenses and capital expenditures in future applications in the amount of $1.625 billion, as specified below, and (ii) incur costs of $50 million in shareholder-funded system enhancement initiatives as described further in the settlement agreement. The amounts set forth in the table below include actual recorded costs and forecasted cost estimates as of the date of the settlement agreement for expenses and capital expenditures which the Utility has incurred or planned to incur to comply with its legal obligations to provide safe and reliable service. While actual costs incurred for certain cost categories are different than what was assumed in the settlement agreement, the Utility recorded $1.625 billion of the disallowed costs during the year ended December 31, 2020.
(in millions) |  |  |  |  |
Description(1) | Expense |  | Capital |  | Total
Distribution Safety Inspections and Repairs Expense (FRMMA/WMPMA) | $ | 236 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 236 |
Transmission Safety Inspections and Repairs Expense (TO)(2) | 433 |  |  | — |  |  | 433 |
Vegetation Management Support Costs (FHPMA) | 36 |  |  | — |  |  | 36 |
2017 Northern California Wildfires CEMA Expense and Capital (CEMA) | 82 |  |  | 66 |  |  | 148 |
2018 Camp Fire CEMA Expense (CEMA) | 435 |  |  | — |  |  | 435 |
2018 Camp Fire CEMA Capital for Restoration (CEMA) | — |  |  | 253 |  |  | 253 |
2018 Camp Fire CEMA Capital for Temporary Facilities (CEMA) | — |  |  | 84 |  |  | 84 |
Total | $ | 1,222 |  |  | $ | 403 |  |  | $ | 1,625 |
(1) All amounts included in the table reflect actual recorded costs for 2019 and 2020. (2) Transmission amounts are under the FERC’s regulatory authority. PG&E Corporation and the Utility record a charge when it is both probable that costs incurred or projected to be incurred for recently completed plant will not be recoverable through rates charged to customers and the amount of disallowance can be reasonably estimated. The Utility expects additional system enhancement spending pursuant to the settlement agreement to occur through 2025. On April 20, 2020, the assigned commissioner issued a decision different adopting, with changes, the proposed modifications set forth in the request for review. The decision different (i) increases the amount of disallowed wildfire expenditures by $198 million (as set forth in the POD); (ii) increases the amount of shareholder funding for system enhancement initiatives by $64 million (as set forth in the POD); (iii) imposes a $200 million fine but permanently suspends payment of the fine; and (iii) limits the tax savings that must be returned to customers to those savings generated by disallowed operating expenditures. The decision different also denies all pending appeals of the POD and denies, in part, the Utility’s motion requesting other relief. On April 30, 2020, the Utility submitted its comments on the decision different to the CPUC, accepting the modifications. The CPUC approved the decision different on May 7, 2020. As it relates to the additional $198 million in disallowed costs as adopted in the decision different, the Utility has recorded the full amount, primarily in the WMPMA, through September 30, 2021. On June 8, 2020, two parties filed separate applications for rehearing, the purpose of which was to challenge the CPUC’s approval of the settlement agreement, as modified. On June 23, 2020, the Utility and CUE filed a joint response opposing the applications for rehearing. On December 3, 2020, the CPUC issued a decision denying the application for rehearing. On January 4, 2021, one party filed a petition for review of the CPUC decision with the California court of appeal. Responses to the petition were submitted on March 25, 2021. On July 29, 2021, the appeal was rejected by the appellate court. The deadline for any further appeals was August 9, 2021. No further appeals were filed. Transmission Owner Rate Case Revenue Subject to Refund The FERC determines the amount of authorized revenue requirements, including the rate of return on electric transmission assets, that the Utility may collect in rates in the TO rate case. The FERC typically authorizes the Utility to charge new rates based on the requested revenue requirement, subject to refund, before the FERC has issued a final decision. The Utility bills and records revenue based on the amounts requested in its rate case filing and records a reserve for its estimate of the amounts that are probable of refund. Rates subject to refund went into effect on March 1, 2017, March 1, 2018, and May 1, 2019 for the TO rate case for 2017 (“TO18”), the TO rate case for 2018 (“TO19”), and the TO rate case for 2019 (“TO20”), respectively. On October 1, 2018, the ALJ issued an initial decision in the TO18 rate case and the Utility filed initial briefs on October 31, 2018, in response to the ALJ’s recommendations. On October 15, 2020, the FERC issued an order that affirmed in part and reversed in part the initial decision. The order reopens the record for the limited purpose of allowing parties an opportunity to present written evidence concerning the FERC’s revised ROE methodology adopted in FERC Opinion No. 569-A, issued on May 21, 2020. Initial briefs were filed on December 14, 2020, and reply briefs were filed on February 12, 2021. In addition, the order addresses a number of other issues including: (1) approving depreciation rates that yield an estimated composite depreciation rate of 2.94% compared to the Utility’s request of 3.25%; (2) reducing forecasted capital, operations and maintenance, and cost of debt expense to actual costs incurred for the rate case period; and (3) upholding the initial decision’s rejection of the Utility’s direct assignment of common plant to transmission and requiring the allocation of all common plant between CPUC and FERC jurisdiction be based on operating and maintenance labor ratios. On the direct assignment issue, applying labor ratios to certain common plant would result in an allocation of 6.15% of common plant to the FERC in comparison to 8.84% under the Utility’s direct assignment method. The Utility filed a request for rehearing of certain aspects of the order, which was denied by the FERC on December 17, 2020. The Utility filed a petition for review of the order on February 11, 2021 in the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. On March 4, 2021, the Court of Appeals issued an order holding the Utility’s petition for review in abeyance until July 14, 2021, so that the FERC would have time to issue a substantive order on rehearing. On April 15, 2021, the FERC issued a substantive order denying the Utility’s request for rehearing and granting the request for rehearing of two parties regarding the impact of the Tax Act on TO18 rates in January and February 2018. The Utility sought rehearing of the FERC’s reversal on the applicability of the Tax Act on TO18 rates which may affect the timing for judicial review of the FERC order on the Utility’s request for rehearing. On June 8, 2021, the Utility filed a second petition for review in the Court of Appeals on the aspects of the rehearing order other than the Tax Act. On June 17, 2021, the FERC issued a notice denying the Utility’s request for rehearing on the applicability of the Tax Act on TO18 rates by operation of law and providing for further consideration. On June 21, 2021, the Court of Appeals ordered that the Utility’s two petitions for review be consolidated and held both petitions in abeyance until July 14, 2021. On July 22, 2021, the Court of Appeals ordered that the Utility’s two petitions for review be held in abeyance until further order of the court and directed the parties to file motions to govern further proceedings within 75 days after the FERC issues a substantive order on the Utility’s request for rehearing on the applicability of the Tax Act on TO18 rates. On August 13, 2021, the Utility filed a third petition for review in the Court of Appeals from the FERC’s June 17, 2021 notice, which the Court of Appeals ordered to be consolidated with the Utility’s prior two petitions and subject to the deadlines in the Court’s July 22, 2021 order. On August 19, 2021, the FERC issued a substantive order denying the Utility’s request for rehearing on the applicability of the Tax Act on the TO18 rates. On October 15, 2021, the Utility filed a fourth petition for review in the Court of Appeals from the FERC’s August 19, 2021 rehearing order. The parties are required to file a motion to govern further proceedings in the Court of Appeals by November 2, 2021. As a result of the FERC’s April 15, 2021 order denying rehearing on the common plant allocation, the Utility increased its Regulatory liabilities for amounts previously collected during the TO18, TO19, and TO20 rate case periods from 2017 through the third quarter of 2021 by approximately $308 million. A portion of these common plant costs are expected to be recovered at the CPUC in a separate application and as a result, the Utility has recorded approximately $180 million to Regulatory assets. On September 21, 2018, the Utility filed an all-party settlement with the FERC, which was approved by the FERC on December 20, 2018, in connection with TO19. As part of the settlement, the TO19 revenue requirement will be set at 98.85% of the revenue requirement for TO18 that will be determined upon issuance of a final unappealable decision in the TO18 proceeding. On December 30, 2020, the FERC approved an all-party settlement agreement in connection with TO20. The TO20 settlement resolved all issues of the Utility’s formula rate. However, some of the formula rate issues are contingent on the outcome of TO18, including the allocation of costs related to common, general and intangible plant. The settlement provides that the formula rate will remain in effect through December 31, 2023. The TO20 rate case provides that the transmission revenue requirement and rates are to be updated annually on January 1, subject to true-up. The Utility is required to make a successor rate filing in 2023, which would go into effect on January 1, 2024. 2018 CEMA Interim Rate Relief Subject to Refund On March 30, 2018, the Utility submitted to the CPUC its 2018 CEMA application requesting cost recovery of $183 million in connection with seven catastrophic events that included fire and storm declared emergencies from mid-2016 through early 2017, as well as $405 million related to work performed in 2016 and 2017 to cut back or remove dead or dying trees that were exposed to years of drought conditions and bark beetle infestation. On April 25, 2019, the CPUC approved the Utility’s request for interim rate relief, allowing for recovery of $373 million of costs as requested by the Utility at that time. The interim rate relief was implemented on October 1, 2019. Costs included in the interim rate relief are subject to audit and refund. On August 7, 2019, the Utility filed a revised application, revised testimony and revised workpapers, reflecting a new revenue requirement request of $669 million, pursuant to a CPUC ruling allowing these changes. The Utility expects to file a settlement agreement with certain parties in early November 2021 and for the CPUC to issue a final decision in the first or second quarter of 2022. 2020 WMCE Interim Rate Relief Subject to Refund On September 30, 2020, the Utility filed an application with the CPUC requesting cost recovery of recorded expenditures related to wildfire mitigation, certain catastrophic events, and a number of other activities (the “2020 WMCE application”). The recorded expenditures, which exclude amounts disallowed as a result of the CPUC’s decision in the OII into the 2017 Northern California wildfires and the 2018 Camp fire, consist of $1.18 billion in expense and $801 million in capital expenditures, resulting in a proposed revenue requirement of approximately $1.28 billion. As previously disclosed, on October 23, 2020, the CPUC approved $447 million in interim rate relief (which includes interest) pertaining to costs addressed in the 2020 WMCE application. All of the costs presented in the 2020 WMCE application are subject to the CPUC’s reasonableness review, which could result in some or all of the interim rate relief of $447 million being subject to refund. The costs addressed in the 2020 WMCE application cover activities mainly during the years 2017 to 2019 and are incremental to those previously authorized in the Utility’s 2017 GRC and other proceedings. The majority of costs addressed in this application reflect work necessary to mitigate wildfire risk and to respond to catastrophic events occurring during the years 2017 to 2019. The Utility’s requested revenue includes amounts for the FHPMA of $293 million, the FRMMA and the WMPMA of $740 million, and the CEMA of $251 million. The requested revenue for CEMA costs reflected in the application include the Utility’s costs incurred responding to ten catastrophic events. Hearings were held in June 2021. On July 23, 2021, the parties filed opening briefs and reply briefs were filed on August 6, 2021. On September 21, 2021, the Utility filed a motion with the CPUC seeking approval of a settlement agreement that would authorize the Utility to continue to recover an interim revenue requirement of $447 million over a 17-month amortization period, followed by an additional revenue requirement of $591 million over a 24-month amortization period. On September 23, 2021, the CPUC extended the statutory deadline for a PD in this hearing to April 1, 2022. For more information regarding the FHPMA, the FRMMA, the WMPMA, and the CEMA memorandum accounts, see Note 4 above and the 2020 Form 10-K. 2015 Gas Transmission and Storage Rate Case and 2011-2014 Gas Transmission and Storage Capital Expenditures Audit On June 23, 2016, the CPUC approved a final phase one decision in the Utility’s 2015 GT&S rate case. The phase one decision excluded from rate base $696 million of 2011 to 2014 capital spending in excess of the amount adopted in the prior GT&S rate case. The decision permanently disallowed $120 million of that amount and ordered that the remaining $576 million be subject to a review of reasonableness to be conducted, or overseen, by the CPUC staff. The review was completed on June 1, 2020 and did not result in any additional disallowances. The report certified $512 million of recorded expenditures. The difference between the certified amount and the $576 million previously disallowed is primarily a result of differences between capital expenditures forecasted in the 2015 GT&S rate case and recorded capital expenditures. On July 31, 2020, the Utility filed an application seeking recovery of $416.3 million of 2015 to 2022 revenue requirements associated with the $512 million of certified capital expenditures. On July 7, 2021, a joint motion was filed to adopt a settlement agreement. If approved by the CPUC, the settlement agreement would resolve all issues in this proceeding and would authorize a $356.3 million revenue requirement for the period of 2015 through 2022. Of this amount, $313.3 million of revenues for the period 2015 through 2021 would be amortized in rates over 60 months and $43 million associated with 2022 would be amortized in rates over 12 months through an annual gas true up filing for rates effective January 1, 2022. Going forward, the as-yet undepreciated capital plant associated with this application would be included in test year 2023 rate base in the Utility’s consolidated 2023 GRC. On July 9, 2021, the ALJ granted a motion to include an additional party. The ALJ ruled that the party’s participation would be limited to commenting on the settlement agreement and proposed decision, and that the party may not broaden the current scope of issues or introduce new evidentiary information. The scoping memo calls for the issuance of a PD in the fourth quarter of 2021. The Utility is unable to determine the timing and outcome of this proceeding. Other Matters PG&E Corporation and the Utility are subject to various claims and lawsuits that separately are not considered material. Accruals for contingencies related to such matters (excluding amounts related to the contingencies discussed above under “Enforcement and Litigation Matters”) totaled $88 million and $134 million at September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively. These amounts were included in Other current liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. PG&E Corporation and the Utility do not believe it is reasonably possible that the resolution of these matters will have a material impact on their financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows. PSPS Class Action On December 19, 2019, a complaint was filed in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California naming PG&E Corporation and the Utility. The plaintiff seeks certification of a class consisting of all California residents and business owners who had their power shut off by the Utility during the October 9, October 23, October 26, October 28, or November 20, 2019 power outages and any subsequent voluntary outages occurring during the course of litigation. The plaintiff alleges that the necessity for the October and November 2019 power shutoff events was caused by the Utility’s negligence in failing to properly maintain its electrical lines and surrounding vegetation. The complaint seeks up to $2.5 billion in special and general damages, punitive and exemplary damages and injunctive relief to require the Utility to properly maintain and inspect its power grid. PG&E Corporation and the Utility believe the allegations are without merit and intend to defend this lawsuit vigorously. On January 21, 2020, PG&E Corporation and the Utility filed a motion to dismiss the complaint or in the alternative strike the class action allegations. On March 30, 2020, the Bankruptcy Court granted the Utility’s motion to dismiss this class action because the plaintiff’s class action claims are preempted as a matter of law by the California Public Utilities Code. On April 3, 2020, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order dismissing the action without leave to amend. The plaintiff appealed the decision dismissing the complaint to the District Court. On March 26, 2021, the District Court affirmed the Bankruptcy Court’s dismissal of this action, and the plaintiff filed a notice of appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The appellant filed his opening brief on June 25, 2021. A former executive director of the CPUC filed an amicus brief on July 2, 2021, asking the Ninth Circuit to reverse the decision of the District Court and to remand the case for further proceedings. The answering brief of PG&E Corporation and the Utility was filed August 25, 2021. On September 1, 2021, the CPUC filed an amicus brief asking the Ninth Circuit to affirm the District Court’s dismissal. The appellant’s reply brief was filed on October 15, 2021. The Utility is unable to determine the timing and outcome of this proceeding. CZU Lightning Complex Fire Notices of Violation Between November 2020 and January 2021, several governmental entities raised concerns regarding the Utility’s emergency response to the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex fire, including Cal Fire, the California Coastal Commission, the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, and Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors alleging environmental and unpermitted work violations. In the matter of Santa Cruz County’s complaint with the CPUC, on July 2, 2021, the CPUC issued a ruling denying the Utility’s motion to dismiss but limiting the issues to be determined to whether the Utility’s activities in response to the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex fire violated the Utility’s obligations under certain sections of Public Utilities Code and CPUC orders. The CPUC has set a deadline of November 19, 2021 for all parties to submit direct prepared testimony and scheduled evidentiary hearings in late January 2022. The Utility continues to work with all agencies, as well as Santa Cruz County, to resolve any outstanding issues. Based on the information currently available, PG&E Corporation and the Utility believe it is probable that a liability has been incurred. The Utility is unable to reasonably estimate the amount or range of potential penalties that could be incurred given the number of factors that can be considered in determining penalties. PG&E Corporation and the Utility do not believe that the resolution of these matters will have a material impact on their financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows. Violations can result in penalties, remediation and other relief. Environmental Remediation Contingencies The Utility’s environmental remediation liability is primarily included in noncurrent liabilities on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and is comprised of the following:
| Balance at
(in millions) | September 30, 2021 |  | December 31, 2020
Topock natural gas compressor station | $ | 299 |  |  | $ | 303 |
Hinkley natural gas compressor station | 129 |  |  | 132 |
Former manufactured gas plant sites owned by the Utility or third parties (1) | 686 |  |  | 659 |
Utility-owned generation facilities (other than fossil fuel-fired), other facilities, and third-party disposal sites (2) | 112 |  |  | 111 |
Fossil fuel-fired generation facilities and sites (3) | 74 |  |  | 96 |
Total environmental remediation liability | $ | 1,300 |  |  | $ | 1,301 |
(1) Primarily driven by the following sites: San Francisco Beach Street, Vallejo, Napa, and San Francisco East Harbor. (2) Primarily driven by Geothermal landfill and Shell Pond site. (3) Primarily driven by the San Francisco Potrero Power Plant. The Utility’s gas compressor stations, former manufactured gas plant sites, power plant sites, gas gathering sites, and sites used by the Utility for the storage, recycling, and disposal of potentially hazardous substances are subject to requirements issued by the Environmental Protection Agency under the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act in addition to other state hazardous waste laws. The Utility has a comprehensive program in place designed to comply with federal, state, and local laws and regulations related to hazardous materials, waste, remediation activities, and other environmental requirements. The Utility assesses and monitors the environmental requirements on an ongoing basis and implements changes to its program as deemed appropriate. The Utility’s remediation activities are overseen by the DTSC, several California regional water quality control boards, and various other federal, state, and local agencies. The Utility’s environmental remediation liability at September 30, 2021, reflects its best estimate of probable future costs for remediation based on the current assessment data and regulatory obligations. Future costs will depend on many factors, including the extent of work necessary to implement final remediation plans, the Utility’s time frame for remediation, and unanticipated claims filed against the Utility. The Utility may incur actual costs in the future that are materially different than this estimate and such costs could have a material impact on results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows during the period in which they are recorded. At September 30, 2021, the Utility expected to recover $1 billion of its environmental remediation liability for certain sites through various ratemaking mechanisms authorized by the CPUC. For more information, see remediation site descriptions below and see Note 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of the 2020 Form 10-K. Natural Gas Compressor Station Sites The Utility is legally responsible for remediating groundwater contamination caused by hexavalent chromium used in the past at the Utility’s natural gas compressor stations. The Utility is also required to take measures to abate the effects of the contamination on the environment. Topock Site The Utility’s remediation and abatement efforts at the Topock site are subject to the regulatory authority of the California DTSC and the U.S. Department of the Interior. On April 24, 2018, the DTSC authorized the Utility to build an in-situ groundwater treatment system to convert hexavalent chromium into a non-toxic and non-soluble form of chromium. Construction activities began in October 2018 and will continue for several years. The Utility’s undiscounted future costs associated with the Topock site may increase by as much as $219 million if the extent of contamination or necessary remediation is greater than anticipated. The costs associated with environmental remediation at the Topock site are expected to be recovered primarily through the HSM, where 90% of the costs are recovered in rates. Hinkley Site The Utility has been implementing remediation measures at the Hinkley site to reduce the mass of the chromium plume in groundwater and to monitor and control movement of the plume. The Utility’s remediation and abatement efforts at the Hinkley site are subject to the regulatory authority of the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Lahontan Region. In November 2015, the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Lahontan Region adopted a clean-up and abatement order directing the Utility to contain and remediate the underground plume of hexavalent chromium and the potential environmental impacts. The final order states that the Utility must continue and improve its remediation efforts, define the boundaries of the chromium plume, and take other action. Additionally, the final order sets plume capture requirements, requires a monitoring and reporting program, and includes deadlines for the Utility to meet interim cleanup targets. The United States Geological Survey team is currently conducting a background study on the site to better define the chromium plume boundaries. A draft background report was received in January 2020 and is expected to be finalized in 2022. The Utility’s undiscounted future costs associated with the Hinkley site may increase by as much as $138 million if the extent of contamination or necessary remediation is greater than anticipated. The costs associated with environmental remediation at the Hinkley site will not be recovered through rates. Former Manufactured Gas Plants Former MGPs used coal and oil to produce gas for use by the Utility’s customers before natural gas became available. The by-products and residues of this process were often disposed of at the MGPs themselves. The Utility has a program to manage the residues left behind as a result of the manufacturing process; many of the sites in the program have been addressed. The Utility’s undiscounted future costs associated with MGP sites may increase by as much as $479 million if the extent of contamination or necessary remediation at currently identified MGP sites is greater than anticipated. The costs associated with environmental remediation at the MGP sites are recovered through the HSM, where 90% of the costs are recovered in rates. Utility-Owned Generation Facilities and Third-Party Disposal Sites Utility-owned generation facilities and third-party disposal sites often involve long-term remediation. The Utility’s undiscounted future costs associated with Utility-owned generation facilities and third-party disposal sites may increase by as much as $49 million if the extent of contamination or necessary remediation is greater than anticipated. The environmental remediation costs associated with the Utility-owned generation facilities and third-party disposal sites are recovered through the HSM, where 90% of the costs are recovered in rates. Fossil Fuel-Fired Generation Sites In 1998, the Utility divested its generation power plant business as part of generation deregulation. Although the Utility sold its fossil-fueled power plants, the Utility retained the environmental remediation liability associated with each site. The Utility’s undiscounted future costs associated with fossil fuel-fired generation sites may increase by as much as $44 million if the extent of contamination or necessary remediation is greater than anticipated. The environmental remediation costs associated with the fossil fuel-fired sites will not be recovered through rates. Nuclear Insurance The Utility maintains multiple insurance policies through NEIL and EMANI, covering nuclear or non-nuclear events at the Utility’s two nuclear generating units at Diablo Canyon and the retired Humboldt Bay Unit 3. NEIL provides property damage and business interruption coverage of up to $3.2 billion per nuclear incident and $2.5 billion per non-nuclear incident for Diablo Canyon. For Humboldt Bay Unit 3, NEIL provides up to $50 million of coverage for nuclear and non-nuclear property damages. NEIL also provides coverage for damages caused by acts of terrorism at nuclear power plants. Through NEIL, there is up to $3.2 billion available to the membership to cover this exposure. EMANI shares losses with NEIL, as part of the first $400 million of coverage within the current nuclear insurance program. EMANI also provides an additional $200 million in excess insurance for property damage and business interruption losses incurred by the utility if a nuclear or non-nuclear event were to occur at Diablo Canyon. If NEIL losses in any policy year exceed accumulated funds, the Utility could be subject to a retrospective assessment. If NEIL were to exercise this assessment, the maximum aggregate annual retrospective premium obligation for the Utility would be approximately $42 million. If EMANI losses in any policy year exceed accumulated funds, the Utility could be subject to a retrospective assessment of approximately $4 million. For more information about the Utility’s nuclear insurance coverage, see Note 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of the 2020 Form 10-K. Tax Matters As of the date of this report, it is more likely than not that PG&E Corporation has not undergone an ownership change, and consequently, its net operating loss carryforwards and other tax attributes are not limited by section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code. As a result of the grantor trust election, the Utility’s tax deductions occur when the Fire Victim Trust pays the fire victims, rather than when the Utility transferred cash and other property (including PG&E Corporation common stock) to the Fire Victim Trust. Therefore, $5.4 billion of cash and $4.54 billion of PG&E Corporation common stock, in the aggregate $10.0 billion, that were transferred to the Fire Victim Trust in 2020, will not be deductible for tax purposes by the Utility until the Fire Victim Trust pays the fire victims. Furthermore, the activities of the Fire Victim Trust are treated as activities of the Utility for tax purposes. PG&E Corporation’s net operating loss has decreased by approximately $10.0 billion which will be offset by payments made by the Fire Victim Trust to the fire victims and the net activities of the Fire Victim Trust to date. Additionally, there was a $1.3 billion charge, net of tax, decreasing net deferred tax assets for the payment made to the Fire Victim Trust in PG&E Corporation common stock on its Consolidated Financial Statements for activity through December 31, 2020. PG&E Corporation will recognize income tax benefits and the corresponding deferred tax asset as the Fire Victim Trust sells shares of PG&E Corporation common stock, and the amounts of such benefits and assets will be impacted by the price at which the Fire Victim Trust sells the shares, rather than the price at the time such shares were transferred to the Fire Victim Trust. As of October 27, 2021, to the knowledge of PG&E Corporation, the Fire Victim Trust had not sold any shares of PG&E Corporation common stock, resulting in no tax impact in PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s consolidated financial statements for the quarter ended September 30, 2021. For more information, see Note 6 above. The following table reconciles the income tax expense at the federal statutory rate to the income tax provision for the Utility:
| Three Months Ended September 30, |  | Nine Months Ended September 30,
| 2021 |  | 2020 |  | 2021 |  | 2020
Federal statutory income tax rate | 21.0 | % |  | 21.0 | % |  | 21.0 | % |  | 21.0 | %
Increase (decrease) in income tax rate resulting from: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
State income tax (net of federal benefit) (1) | 303.4 | % |  | (17.8) | % |  | 45.3 | % |  | 30.9 | %
Effect of regulatory treatment of fixed asset differences (2) | (156.8) | % |  | (113.5) | % |  | (57.4) | % |  | (48.1) | %
Fire Victim Trust (3) | 994.5 | % |  | — | % |  | 155.4 | % |  | — | %
Bankruptcy and Emergence | 0.5 | % |  | 1.4 | % |  | 0.3 | % |  | 75.2 | %
Other, net | 25.8 | % |  | (8.0) | % |  | 4.8 | % |  | (4.5) | %
Effective tax rate | 1,188.4 | % |  | (116.9) | % |  | 169.4 | % |  | 74.5 | %
(1) Includes the effect of state flow-through ratemaking treatment. (2) Includes the effect of federal flow-through ratemaking treatment for certain property-related costs. For these temporary tax differences, PG&E Corporation and the Utility recognize the deferred tax impact in the current period and records offsetting regulatory assets and liabilities. PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s effective tax rate is impacted as these differences arise and reverse. PG&E Corporation and the Utility recognize such differences as regulatory assets or liabilities as it is probable that these amounts will be recovered from or returned to customers in future rates. In 2021 and 2020, the amounts also reflect the impact of the amortization of excess deferred tax benefits to be refunded to customers as a result of the Tax Act passed in December 2017. (3) Includes the effect of the grantor trust election. For more information, see Note 6 above. The following table reconciles the income tax expense at the federal statutory rate to the income tax provision for PG&E Corporation:
| Three Months Ended September 30, |  | Nine Months Ended September 30,
| 2021 |  | 2020 |  | 2021 |  | 2020
Federal statutory income tax rate | 21.0 | % |  | 21.0 | % |  | 21.0 | % |  | 21.0 | %
Increase (decrease) in income tax rate resulting from: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
State income tax (net of federal benefit) (1) | 788.8 | % |  | 84.2 | % |  | 61.8 | % |  | (15.5) | %
Effect of regulatory treatment of fixed asset differences (2) | (413.4) | % |  | 403.7 | % |  | (81.9) | % |  | 25.2 | %
Fire Victim Trust (3) | 2,621.7 | % |  | — | % |  | 221.8 | % |  | — | %
Bankruptcy and Emergence | 1.3 | % |  | (47.2) | % |  | 0.4 | % |  | (69.4) | %
Other, net | 72.6 | % |  | 31.1 | % |  | 8.1 | % |  | 3.3 | %
Effective tax rate | 3,092.0 | % |  | 492.8 | % |  | 231.2 | % |  | (35.4) | %
(1) Includes the effect of state flow-through ratemaking treatment. (2) Includes the effect of federal flow-through ratemaking treatment for certain property-related costs. For these temporary tax differences, PG&E Corporation and the Utility recognize the deferred tax impact in the current period and records offsetting regulatory assets and liabilities. PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s effective tax rate is impacted as these differences arise and reverse. PG&E Corporation and the Utility recognize such differences as regulatory assets or liabilities as it is probable that these amounts will be recovered from or returned to customers in future rates. In 2021 and 2020, the amounts also reflect the impact of the amortization of excess deferred tax benefits to be refunded to customers as a result of the Tax Act passed in December 2017. (3) Includes the effect of the grantor trust election. For more information, see Note 6 above. Purchase Commitments In the ordinary course of business, the Utility enters into various agreements to purchase power and electric capacity; natural gas supply, transportation, and storage; nuclear fuel supply and services; and various other commitments. At December 31, 2020, the Utility had undiscounted future expected obligations of approximately $35 billion. (See Note 15 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of the 2020 Form 10-K.) Oakland Headquarters Lease and Sale of SFGO On June 5, 2020, the Utility entered into an Agreement to Enter Into Lease and Purchase Option (the “TMG Agreement”) with TMG Bay Area Investments II, LLC (“TMG”). The TMG Agreement provides that, contingent on (i) entry of an order by the Bankruptcy Court authorizing the Utility to enter into the TMG Agreement and the Lease Agreement (as defined below), subject to certain conditions, and (ii) acquisition of the Lakeside Building by BA2 300 Lakeside LLC (“Landlord”), a wholly owned subsidiary of TMG, the Utility and Landlord will enter into an office lease agreement (the “Lease Agreement”) for approximately 910,000 rentable square feet of space within the Lakeside Building to serve as the Utility’s principal administrative headquarters (the “Lease”). On June 9, 2020, PG&E Corporation and the Utility filed a motion with the Bankruptcy Court authorizing them to enter into the TMG Agreement and grant related relief. The Bankruptcy Court entered an order approving the motion on June 24, 2020. Pursuant to the terms of the TMG Agreement, concurrent with the Landlord’s acquisition of the building, on October 23, 2020, the Utility and the Landlord entered into the Lease, and the Utility issued to Landlord (i) an option payment letter of credit in the amount of $75 million on or before the Lease Date (as defined in the Agreement and the Lease Agreement), and (ii) a lease security letter of credit in the amount of $75 million. The term of the Lease will begin on or about March 1, 2022. The Lease term will expire 34 years and 11 months after the commencement date, unless earlier terminated in accordance with the terms of the Lease. In addition to base rent, the Utility will be responsible for the costs and charges specified in the Lease, including insurance costs, maintenance costs and taxes. The Lease requires the Landlord to pursue approvals to subdivide the real estate it owns surrounding the Lakeside Building to create a separate legal parcel that contains the Lakeside Building (the “Property”) that can be sold to the Utility. The Lease grants to the Utility an option to purchase the Property, following such subdivision, at a price of $892 million, subject to certain adjustments (the “Purchase Price”). If the option is exercised, the Purchase Price would be paid in 2023. As of September 30, 2021, the Lease Agreement did not have any impact on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. On September 30, 2020, the Utility filed an application with the CPUC seeking authorization to sell the SFGO in connection with the TMG Agreement. On May 21, 2021, the Utility entered into a purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with HNG Atlas US LP to sell the SFGO for $800 million, subject to prorations and adjustments. On May 26, 2021, the Utility filed an amended settlement agreement with the CPUC. Under the amended settlement agreement, the parties agreed that (1) the Utility’s headquarters strategy, including the move to Oakland, the sale of SFGO, and the terms of the agreement to lease and the option to purchase the Lakeside Building, is reasonable, (2) all of the gain on sale of SFGO will be distributed to customers over five years, beginning in 2022, and (3) the costs associated with the Utility’s move to the Lakeside Building and development will be considered at later stages of the proceeding and through a petition for modification of the final decision in the proceeding. On July 22, 2021, the CPUC issued a PD approving the purchase agreement and the ratemaking treatment proposed under the parties’ settlement. On August 19, 2021, the CPUC issued a final decision approving the amended settlement agreement. On September 17, 2021, the sale of SFGO closed and the Utility received net cash proceeds of $749 million. As of September 30, 2021, PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets reflect the sale of SFGO as a reduction to Property, plant, and equipment by $565 million and to Accumulated depreciation by $238 million. Additionally, in accordance with the final decision, the pre-tax gain of $422 million was recorded to current and noncurrent regulatory liabilities as of September 30, 2021 and will be amortized for the benefit of customers over five years, along with corresponding reductions to the adopted GRC 2020 revenue requirements for 2021 and 2022 associated from the removal of SFGO from rate base after the sale. Additionally on September 17, 2021, the Utility entered into a leaseback agreement with HNG Atlas US LP (the “Leaseback Agreement”) to leaseback certain space in SFGO to accommodate essential onsite work. The Leaseback Agreement commenced on September 17, 2021 and continues through various dates for the various leased spaces, with December 31, 2023 being the latest lease expiration date. Certain provisions in the Leaseback Agreement have met the appropriate thresholds for lease accounting and have been recorded to Operating lease right of use asset on PG&E Corporation’s and the Utility’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets in the amount of $7 million as of September 30, 2021.

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