Company: SCE-PL
Filing Date: 2025-04-29
Form Type: 10-Q
Source: 0000827052-25-000043
Chunk: 102

Company: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON Co
Filing Date: 2025-04-29
Form: 10-Q
Item: Item 7
Chunk 102
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 to wildfire events have been initiated against SCE and Edison International. Edison International and SCE have, or may, incur material losses in connection with the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events, the Other Wildfire Events that are described below, and the January 2025 Eaton Fire. Of the Other Wildfire Events described below, only the 2017 Creek Fire ignited prior to the adoption of AB 1054 in July 2019. SCE's equipment has been, and may further be, alleged to be associated with other wildfires that have originated in Southern California, and SCE's service area remains susceptible to additional wildfire activity.Liability OverviewThe extent of legal liability for wildfire-related damages in actions against utilities depends on a number of factors, including whether the utility substantially caused or contributed to the damages and whether parties seeking recovery of damages will be required to show negligence in addition to causation. California courts have previously found utilities to be strictly liable for property damage along with associated interest and attorneys' fees, regardless of fault, by applying the 

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theory of inverse condemnation when a utility's facilities were determined to be a substantial cause of a wildfire that caused the property damage. If inverse condemnation is held to be inapplicable to SCE in connection with a wildfire, SCE still could be held liable for property damages and associated interest if the property damages were found to have been proximately caused by SCE's negligence. If SCE were to be found negligent, SCE could also be held liable for, among other things, fire suppression costs, business interruption losses, evacuation costs, clean-up costs, medical expenses, and personal injury/wrongful death claims, including claims for non-economic damages. Additionally, SCE could potentially be subject to fines and penalties for alleged violations of CPUC rules and state laws investigated in connection with the ignition of a wildfire. While investigations into the cause of a wildfire event are conducted by one or more fire agencies, fire agency findings do not determine legal causation of or assign legal liability for a wildfire event. Final determinations of legal causation and liability for wildfire events, including determinations of whether SCE was negligent, would only be made during lengthy and complex litigation processes, and settlements may be reached before determinations of legal liability are ever made. Even when investigations are still pending or legal liability is disputed, an assessment of likely outcomes, including through future settlement of disputed claims, may require estimated losses to be accrued under accounting standards. Each reporting period, management reviews its loss estimates for remaining alleged and potential claims related to wildfire events.