PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — An Oregon jury recently ordered electric utility PacifiCorp to pay punitive damages to the victims of the 2020 Labor Day wildfires that the company was found responsible for causing. PacifiCorp has since filed to defer the payments.
On Monday, June 12, a Multnomah County Circuit Court jury determined that the electric utility was liable for the fires that led to nine deaths, 1,875 square miles of scorched land, and 5,000 destroyed homes and other structures.
According to the victims, the devastating wildfires were a result of PacifiCorp’s failure to shut off power during a windstorm — even after former Gov. Kate Brown’s chief of staff and fire officials issued warnings.
Because of the company’s negligence, the Multnomah County jury decided that PacifiCorp owes millions of dollars for the damaged property and for emotional distress.
“According to court documents, PacifiCorp must pay between $3 million and $5.5 million to each of the named plaintiffs – totaling $70 million – as well as punitive damages worth 25% of the actual damages,” KOIN 6 and AP News reported on Wednesday.
But on Thursday, the company asked the Public Utility Commission of Oregon to defer its wildfire liability payments to June 14, 2024.
“The deferred accounting application enables the Company to preserve its ability to seek recovery in the future in the event the outcome could potentially impact the financial stability of the Company, which would result in higher costs to customers,” the filing said.
The Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board issued a statement that same day, saying that the liability costs should fall on PacifiCorp rather than its customers.
"Customer rates are supposed to allow the utility to recover its costs of prudently operating its assets and providing service," Oregon CUB said. "Acting in a manner that is grossly negligent and reckless is not acting prudently."
