PG&E pleads guilty to 84 counts of manslaughter over Camp fire

The case is one of many variables and burdens that remain unsettled in PG&E’s attempt to extricate itself from bankruptcy, and in and of itself only amounts to a nominal fine and an agreement to cover legal fees. As the New York Times reports, the settlement has a maximum fine of $3.5 million, and per KPIX, the total expense will be around $4 million after covering the county’s legal expenses. The utility has also agreed to pay to restore water access to residents who relied on the Miocene Canal, which was destroyed in the fire and has been owned and operated by PG&E since 1917.

In a statement, PG&E CEO Bill Johnson said, “Today’s charges underscore the reality of all that was lost, and we hope that accepting those charges helps bring more certainty to the path forward so we can get victims paid fairly and quickly.”

The plea agreement became public Monday in a regulatory filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and it will still be subject to approval in state and federal court.