The California Public Utilities Commission voted unanimously Thursday to approve a funding mechanism for a wildfire fund. Utilities across the state can tap into it to help pay for wildfire damages.
State lawmakers approved AB 1054 in July. On Thursday, the California Public Utilities Commission unanimously approved a mechanism to fund the bill.
The controversial measure will create a $21 billion fund that state utilities can access to help pay for damages caused by wildfires, specifically wildfires that are caused, at least in part, by the utilities' equipment.
The CPUC action extends an old bond measure that was used to pay for water projects. It amounts to an average of $2.50 a month on customers' bills. The action faces at least one lawsuit from San Diego attorney Mike Aguirre.
San Diego Union-Tribune energy reporter Rob Nikolewski joined Midday Edition to talk about the issue.
