Commitments and Contingencies | Note 12. Commitments and Contingencies Indemnities Edison International and SCE have various financial and performance guarantees and indemnity agreements which are issued in the normal course of business. Edison International and SCE have agreed to provide indemnifications through contracts entered into in the normal course of business. These are primarily indemnifications against adverse litigation outcomes in connection with underwriting agreements, indemnities for specified environmental liabilities and income taxes with respect to assets sold or other contractual arrangements. Edison International's and SCE's obligations under these agreements may or may not be limited in terms of time and/or amount, and in some instances Edison International and SCE may have recourse against third parties. Edison International and SCE have not recorded a liability related to these indemnities. The overall maximum amount of the obligations under these indemnifications cannot be reasonably estimated. Contingencies In addition to the matters disclosed in these Notes, Edison International and SCE are involved in other legal, tax, and regulatory proceedings before various courts and governmental agencies regarding matters arising in the ordinary course of business. Edison International and SCE believe the outcome of each of these other proceedings will not materially affect its financial position, results of operations and cash flows. Southern California Wildfires and Mudslides California has experienced unprecedented weather conditions in recent years due to climate change, and wildfires in SCE's territory, including those where SCE's equipment may be alleged to be associated with the fire's ignition, have caused loss of life and substantial damage in recent years. SCE's service territory remains susceptible to additional wildfire activity. Numerous claims related to wildfire events have been initiated against SCE and Edison International. Edison International and SCE have incurred material losses in connection with the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events (defined below), which are described below. In addition, SCE's equipment has been, and may further be, alleged to be associated with wildfires that have originated in Southern California subsequent to 2018. Liability Overview The 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 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. 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. The process for estimating losses associated with alleged and potential wildfire related claims requires management to exercise significant judgment based on a number of assumptions and subjective factors, including, but not limited to: estimates of known and expected claims by third parties based on currently available information, opinions of counsel regarding litigation risk, the status of and developments in the course of litigation, and prior experience litigating and settling wildfire litigation claims. As additional information becomes available, management's estimates and assumptions regarding the causes and financial impact of wildfire events may change. Actual losses incurred may be higher or lower than estimated based on several factors, including the uncertainty in estimating damages that have been or may be alleged. 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events Wildfires in SCE's territory in December 2017 and November 2018 caused loss of life, substantial damage to both residential and business properties, and service outages for SCE customers. The investigating government agencies, the Ventura County Fire Department ("VCFD") and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection ("CAL FIRE"), have determined that the largest of the 2017 fires in SCE's territory originated on December 4, 2017, in the Anlauf Canyon area of Ventura County (the investigating agencies refer to this fire as the "Thomas Fire"), followed shortly thereafter by a second fire that originated near Koenigstein Road in the City of Santa Paula (the "Koenigstein Fire"). The December 4, 2017 fires eventually burned substantial acreage in both Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. According to CAL FIRE, the Thomas and Koenigstein Fires, collectively, burned over 280,000 acres, destroyed or damaged an estimated 1,343 structures and resulted in two confirmed fatalities. The largest of the November 2018 fires in SCE's territory, known as the "Woolsey Fire," originated in Ventura County and burned acreage in both Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. According to CAL FIRE, the Woolsey Fire burned almost 100,000 acres, destroyed an estimated 1,643 structures, damaged an estimated 364 structures and resulted in three confirmed fatalities. Four additional fatalities are alleged to have been associated with the Woolsey Fire. As described below, multiple lawsuits related to the Thomas and Koenigstein Fires and the Woolsey Fire have been initiated against SCE and Edison International. Some of the Thomas and Koenigstein Fires lawsuits claim that SCE and Edison International have responsibility for the damages caused by debris flows and flooding in Montecito and surrounding areas in January 2018 (the "Montecito Mudslides") based on a theory alleging that SCE has responsibility for the Thomas and/or Koenigstein Fires and further alleging that the Thomas and/or Koenigstein Fires proximately caused the Montecito Mudslides. According to Santa Barbara County initial reports, the Montecito Mudslides destroyed an estimated 135 structures, damaged an estimated 324 structures, and resulted in 21 confirmed fatalities, with two additional fatalities presumed but not officially confirmed. The Thomas Fire, the Koenigstein Fire, the Montecito Mudslides and the Woolsey Fire are each referred to as a "2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Event," and, collectively, referred to as the "2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events." Recent Developments Each reporting period, management reviews its loss estimates for remaining alleged and potential claims related to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events. Management’s third quarter 2023 review included a review of information obtained from settling claims in the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events litigations through the third quarter of 2023, including higher than expected costs to settle claims. Management’s review also included a review of information obtained in the third quarter of 2023 regarding the nature of claims remaining in the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events litigations. As a result of management's third quarter 2023 review, a $475 million increase in estimated losses for the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events as of September 30, 2023 was recorded. As a result, SCE recorded expected recoveries through FERC electric rates of $27 million against the charge. The resulting net charge to earnings was $448 million ( $323 million after-tax). As of September 30, 2023, SCE had paid $8.4 billion under executed settlements, had $209 million to be paid under executed settlements, including $65 million to be paid under the SED Agreement (as defined below), and had $728 million of estimated losses for remaining alleged and potential claims reflected on its consolidated balance sheets related to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events. As of the same date, SCE had assets for expected recoveries through FERC electric rates of $51 million on its consolidated balance sheets and had exhausted expected insurance recoveries related to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events. The estimated losses for the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events do not include an estimate of potential As of the filing of this report, SCE has not concluded that losses related to funds disbursed by Cal OES are probable. Edison International and SCE may incur a material loss in excess of amounts accrued in connection with the remaining alleged and potential claims related to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events. Due to the number of uncertainties and possible outcomes related to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events litigation, Edison International and SCE cannot estimate the upper end of the range of reasonably possible losses that may be incurred. Estimated losses for the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events litigation are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to change as additional information becomes available. Actual losses incurred may be higher or lower than estimated based on several factors, including the uncertainty in estimating damages that have been or may be alleged. For instance, SCE will receive additional information with respect to damages claimed as the claims mediation processes progress. Other factors that can cause actual losses incurred to be higher or lower than estimated include the ability to reach settlements and the outcomes of settlements reached through the ongoing claims mediation processes, uncertainties related to the sufficiency of insurance held by plaintiffs, uncertainties related to the litigation processes, including whether plaintiffs will ultimately pursue claims, uncertainty as to the legal and factual determinations to be made during litigation, including uncertainty as to the contributing causes of the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events, the complexities associated with fires that merge and whether inverse condemnation will be held applicable to SCE with respect to damages caused by the Montecito Mudslides, and the uncertainty as to how these factors impact future settlements. The CPUC and FERC may not allow SCE to recover uninsured losses through electric rates if it is determined that such losses were not prudently incurred. SCE will seek rate recovery of prudently incurred losses and related costs realized in connection with the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events in excess of available insurance, other than for any obligations under the SED Agreement (as defined below). See "Loss Estimates for Third Party Claims and Potential Recoveries from Insurance and through Electric Rates" below for additional information. External Investigations and Internal Review The VCFD and CAL FIRE have jointly issued reports concerning their findings regarding the causes of the Thomas Fire and the Koenigstein Fire. The reports did not address the causes of the Montecito Mudslides. SCE has also received a non-final redacted draft of a report from the VCFD regarding Woolsey Fire (the "Redacted Woolsey Report"). SCE cannot predict when the VCFD will release its final report regarding the Woolsey Fire. The CPUC's Safety and Enforcement Division ("SED") conducted investigations to assess SCE's compliance with applicable rules and regulations in areas impacted by the Thomas, Koenigstein and Woolsey Fires. As discussed below, in October 2021, SCE and the SED executed the SED Agreement (as defined below) to resolve the SED's investigations into the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events. The California Attorney General's Office has completed its investigation of the Thomas Fire and the Woolsey Fire without pursuing criminal charges. SCE's internal review into the facts and circumstances of each of the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events is complex and time consuming. SCE expects to obtain and review additional information and materials in the possession of third parties during the course of its internal reviews and the litigation processes. Thomas Fire On March 13, 2019, the VCFD and CAL FIRE jointly issued a report concluding, after ruling out other possible causes, that the Thomas Fire was started by SCE power lines coming into contact during high winds, resulting in molten metal falling to the ground. However, the report does not state that their investigation found molten metal on the ground. At this time, based on available information, SCE believes that it is likely that its equipment was not associated with the ignition of the Thomas Fire. Based on publicly available radar data showing a smoke plume in the Anlauf Canyon area emerging in advance of the report's indicated start time and other evidence, SCE believes that the Thomas Fire started at least 12 minutes prior to any issue involving SCE's system and at least 15 minutes prior to the start time indicated in the report. SCE is continuing to assess the extent of damages that may be attributable to the Thomas Fire. Koenigstein Fire On March 20, 2019, the VCFD and CAL FIRE jointly issued a report finding that the Koenigstein Fire was caused when an energized SCE electrical wire separated and fell to the ground along with molten metal particles and ignited the dry vegetation below. SCE believes that its equipment was associated with the ignition of the Koenigstein Fire. SCE is continuing to assess the extent of damages that may be attributable to the Koenigstein Fire. Montecito Mudslides SCE's internal review includes inquiry into whether the Thomas and/or Koenigstein Fires proximately caused or contributed to the Montecito Mudslides, whether, and to what extent, the Thomas and/or Koenigstein Fires were responsible for the damages in the Montecito area and other factors that potentially contributed to the losses that resulted from the Montecito Mudslides. Many other factors, including, but not limited to, weather conditions and insufficiently or improperly designed and maintained debris basins, roads, bridges and other channel crossings, could have proximately caused, contributed to or exacerbated the losses that resulted from the Montecito Mudslides. At this time, based on available information, SCE has not been able to determine whether the Thomas Fire or the Koenigstein Fire, or both, were responsible for the damages in the Montecito area. In the event that SCE is determined to have caused the fire that spread to the Montecito area, SCE cannot predict whether, if fully litigated, the courts would conclude that the Montecito Mudslides were caused or contributed to by the Thomas and/or Koenigstein Fires or that SCE would be liable for some or all of the damages caused by the Montecito Mudslides. Woolsey Fire SCE's internal review into the facts and circumstances of the Woolsey Fire is ongoing. SCE has reported to the CPUC that there was an outage on SCE's electric system in the vicinity of where the Woolsey Fire reportedly began on November 8, 2018. SCE is aware of witnesses who saw fire in the vicinity of SCE's equipment at the time the fire was first reported. While SCE did not find evidence of downed electrical wires on the ground in the suspected area of origin, it observed a pole support wire in proximity to an electrical wire that was energized prior to the outage. The Redacted Woolsey Report states that the VCFD investigation team determined that electrical equipment owned and operated by SCE was the cause of the Woolsey Fire. Absent additional evidence, SCE believes that it is likely that its equipment was associated with the ignition of the Woolsey Fire. SCE expects to obtain and review additional information and materials in the possession of CAL FIRE and others during the course of its internal review and the Woolsey Fire litigation process, including SCE equipment that has been retained by CAL FIRE. Litigation Multiple lawsuits related to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events naming SCE as a defendant have been filed by three categories of plaintiffs: individual plaintiffs, subrogation plaintiffs and public entity plaintiffs. A number of the lawsuits also name Edison International as a defendant and some of the lawsuits were filed as purported class actions. As of September 30, 2023, in addition to the outstanding claims of approximately 2,000 individual plaintiffs, there were alleged and potential claims of certain public entity plaintiffs, including Cal OES and Cal Fire, outstanding. The litigation could take a number of years to be resolved because of the complexity of the matters and number of plaintiffs. On October 4, 2018, the Los Angeles Superior Court denied Edison International's and SCE's challenge to the application of inverse condemnation to SCE with respect to the Thomas and Koenigstein Fires and, on February 26, 2019, the California Supreme Court denied SCE's petition to review the Superior Court's decision. In April 2022, following a stipulated judgment entered against SCE in the TKM litigation, SCE filed an appeal related to inverse condemnation in the California Court of Appeal. In January 2019, SCE filed a cross-complaint against certain local public entities alleging that failures by these entities, such as failure to adequately plan for flood hazards and build and maintain adequate debris basins, roads, bridges and other channel crossings, among other things, caused, contributed to or exacerbated the losses that resulted from the Montecito Mudslides. These cross-claims in the Montecito Mudslides litigation were not released as part of the Local Public Entity Settlements (as defined below). Settlements In the fourth quarter of 2019, SCE paid $360 million to a number of local public entities to resolve those parties' collective claims arising from the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events (the "Local Public Entity Settlements"). In the third quarter of 2020, Edison International and SCE entered into an agreement (the "TKM Subrogation Settlement") under which all of the insurance subrogation plaintiffs' in the Thomas Fire, Koenigstein Fire and Montecito Mudslides litigation (the "TKM Subrogation Plaintiffs") collective claims arising from the Thomas Fire, Koenigstein Fire or Montecito Mudslides have been resolved. Under the TKM Subrogation Settlement, SCE paid the TKM Subrogation Plaintiffs an aggregate of $1.2 billion in October 2020 and also agreed to pay $0.555 for each dollar in claims to be paid by the TKM Subrogation Plaintiffs to their policy holders on or before July 15, 2023, up to an agreed upon cap. In January 2021, Edison International and SCE entered into an agreement (the "Woolsey Subrogation Settlement") under which all of the insurance subrogation plaintiffs' in the Woolsey Fire litigation (the "Woolsey Subrogation Plaintiffs") collective claims arising from the Woolsey Fire have been resolved. Under the Woolsey Subrogation Settlement, SCE paid the Woolsey Subrogation Plaintiffs an aggregate of $2.2 billion in March and April 2021. SCE has also agreed to pay $0.67 for each dollar in claims to be paid by the Woolsey Subrogation Plaintiffs to their policy holders on or before July 15, 2023, up to an agreed upon cap. As of September 30, 2023, SCE has also entered into settlements with approximately 11,000 indi Edison International and SCE did not admit wrongdoing or liability as part of any of the settlements described above. Other claims and potential claims related to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events remain. SCE continues to explore reasonable settlement opportunities with other plaintiffs in the outstanding 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events litigation. SED Agreement In October 2021, SCE and the SED executed an agreement (the "SED Agreement") to resolve the SED's investigations into the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events and three other 2017 wildfires for, among other things, aggregate costs of $550 million. The $550 million in costs comprised of a $110 million fine to be paid to the State of California General Fund, $65 million of shareholder-funded safety measures, and an agreement by SCE to waive its right to seek cost recovery in CPUC-jurisdictional rates for $375 million of third-party uninsured claims payments. The SED Agreement provides that SCE may, on a permanent basis, exclude from its ratemaking capital structure any after-tax charges to equity or debt borrowed to finance costs incurred under the SED Agreement. The SED Agreement also imposes other obligations on SCE, including reporting requirements and safety-focused studies. SCE's obligations under the SED Agreement commenced on August 15, 2022, when CPUC approval of the SED Agreement became final and non-appealable. SCE did not admit imprudence, negligence or liability with respect to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events in the SED Agreement. Loss Estimates for Third Party Claims and Potential Recoveries from Insurance and through Electric Rates At September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, Edison International's and SCE's consolidated balance sheets included fixed payments to be made under executed settlement agreements and accrued estimated losses of $937 million and $1.1 billion, respectively, for the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events. The following table presents changes in estimated losses since December 31, 2022: (in millions) Balance at December 31, 2022 1 $ 1,119 Increase in accrued estimated losses 565 Amounts paid (747) Balance at September 30, 2023 2 $ 937 1 At December 31, 2022, $121 million in current liabilities, wildfire-related claims, on Edison International's and SCE's consolidated balance sheets consisted of $65 million of settlements executed and $56 million of short term payables under the SED Agreement in connection with the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events. At December 31, 2022, the $1,687 million included in deferred credits and other liabilities, wildfire-related claims, on Edison International's and SCE's consolidated balance sheets included Edison International's and SCE's best estimate of expected losses for remaining alleged and potential claims related to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events of $934 million, $64 million of long term payables under the SED Agreement and other wildfire-related claims estimates of $689 million. 2 At September 30, 2023, $150 million in current liabilities, wildfire-related claims, on Edison International's and SCE's consolidated balance sheets consisted of $144 million of settlements executed and $6 million of short term payables under the SED Agreement in connection with the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events. At September 30, 2023, the $1,583 million included in deferred credits and other liabilities, wildfire-related claims, on Edison International's and SCE's consolidated balance sheets included Edison International's and SCE's best estimate of expected losses for remaining alleged and potential claims related to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events of $728 million, $59 million of long term payables under the SED Agreement and other wildfire-related claims estimates of $796 million. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, Edison International's and SCE's consolidated statements of income included charges for the estimated losses, net of expected recoveries from insurance and FERC customers, related to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events as follows: Three months ended September 30, Nine months ended September 30, (in millions) 2023 2022 2023 2022 Charge for wildfire-related claims $ 475 $ 880 $ 565 $ 1,296 Expected revenue from FERC customers (27) (50) (33) (76) Total pre-tax charge 448 830 532 1,220 Income tax benefit (125) (232) (148) (341) Total after-tax charge $ 323 $ 598 $ 384 $ 879 For events that occurred in 2017 and early 2018, principally the Thomas and Koenigstein Fires and Montecito Mudslides, SCE had $1.0 billion of wildfire-specific insurance coverage, subject to a self-insured retention of $10 million per occurrence. For the Woolsey Fire, SCE had an additional $1.0 billion of wildfire-specific insurance coverage, subject to a self-insured retention of $10 million per occurrence. In total, through September 30, 2023, SCE has accrued estimated losses of $9.3 billion, has paid or is obligated to pay approximately $8.6 billion in settlements, including $65 million to be paid under the SED Agreement, and has recovered $2.0 billion from its insurance carriers in relation to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events. Recovery of SCE's losses realized in connection with the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events in excess of available insurance is subject to approval by regulators. Under accounting standards for rate-regulated enterprises, SCE defers costs as regulatory assets when it concludes that such costs are probable of future recovery in electric rates. SCE utilizes objectively determinable evidence to form its view on probability of future recovery. The only directly comparable precedent in which a California investor-owned utility has sought recovery for uninsured wildfire-related costs is San Diego Gas & Electric's ("SDG&E") requests for cost recovery related to 2007 wildfire activity, where the FERC allowed recovery of all FERC-jurisdictional wildfire-related costs while the CPUC rejected recovery of all CPUC-jurisdictional wildfire-related costs based on a determination that SDG&E did not meet the CPUC's prudency standard. As a result, while SCE does not agree with the CPUC's decision, it believes that the CPUC's interpretation and application of the prudency standard to SDG&E creates substantial uncertainty regarding how that standard will be applied to an investor-owned utility in wildfire cost-recovery proceedings for fires ignited prior to July 12, 2019. SCE will continue to evaluate the probability of recovery based on available evidence, including judicial, legislative and regulatory decisions, including any CPUC decisions illustrating the interpretation and/or application of the prudency standard when making determinations regarding recovery of uninsured wildfire-related costs. While the CPUC has not made a determination regarding SCE's prudency relative to any of the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events, SCE is unable to conclude, at this time, that uninsured CPUC-jurisdictional wildfire-related costs are probable of recovery through electric rates. SCE would record a regulatory asset at the time it obtains sufficient information to support a conclusion that recovery is probable. In August 2023, SCE filed an application ("TKM Application") with the CPUC to seek rate recovery of $2.4 billion of prudently incurred losses related to the Thomas Fire, the Koenigstein Fire and the Montecito Mudslides, consisting of Through the operation of its FERC Formula Rate, and based upon the precedent established in SDG&E's recovery of FERC-jurisdictional wildfire-related costs, SCE believes it is probable it will recover its FERC-jurisdictional wildfire and mudslide related costs and has recorded total expected recoveries of $409 million within the FERC balancing account. This was the FERC portion of the total estimated losses accrued. As of September 30, 2023, collections have reduced the regulatory assets remaining in the FERC balancing account to $51 million. As of September 30, 2023, SCE has $173 million in assets recorded in property, plant and equipment in relation to restoration costs related to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events. These assets would be impaired if the restoration costs are permanently disallowed by the CPUC in cost recovery proceedings. In its TKM Application, SCE is seeking capital recovery of approximately $65 million in restoration costs related to the Thomas and Koenigstein Fires. SCE expects to seek to recover the costs incurred for reconstructing its system and restoring service to structures that were damaged or destroyed by the Woolsey Fire in the future. Post-2018 Wildfires Several wildfires have significantly impacted portions of SCE's service territory after 2018 (the wildfires that originated in Southern California after 2018 where SCE's equipment may be alleged to be associated with the fire's ignition are referred to collectively as the "Post-2018 Wildfires"). Numerous claims related to the Post-2018 Wildfires have been initiated against SCE and Edison International. The SED is also conducting investigations with respect to several Post-2018 Wildfires. During the nine months ended September 30, 2023, SCE accrued estimated losses of $124 million for claims related to the Post-2018 Wildfires, against which SCE has recorded expected recoveries from insurance of $114 million. The resulting net charge to earnings was $10 million ( $7 million after-tax). Through SCE has recorded and expected recoveries through electric rates of $166 million related to the Post-2018 Wildfires. The after-tax net charges to earnings recorded through September 30, 2023 have been $48 million. As of September 30, 2023, SCE had paid $30 million under executed settlements related to the Post-2018 Wildfires and Edison International's and SCE's estimated losses for remaining alleged and potential claims related to the Post-2018 Wildfires was $790 million. As of the same date, SCE had assets for expected recoveries through insurance and third parties of $560 million and through electric rates of $166 million on its consolidated balance sheets related to the Post-2018 Wildfires. Expected recoveries from insurance recorded for the Post-2018 Wildfires are supported by SCE's insurance coverage for multiple policy years. 2019 Saddle Ridge Fire The "Saddle Ridge Fire," originated in Los Angeles County in October 2019 and burned approximately 9,000 acres, destroyed an estimated 19 structures, damaged an estimated 88 structures, and resulted in one fatality and injuries to eight fire fighters. In August 2023, SCE received a signed report of investigation from the Los Angeles Fire Department ("LAFD"), in which the LAFD stated with respect to the Saddle Ridge Fire that the cause of ignition was unintentional, the form of heat was undetermined, the item first ignited was undetermined and the material type first ignited was undetermined. The LAFD report noted that no other competent ignition sources other than SCE’s transmission lines were found in the specific origin area of the Saddle Ridge Fire. A jury trial in the Saddle Ridge Fire litigation is currently set for May 2024. Based on pending litigation and without considering insurance recoveries, it is reasonably possible that SCE will incur a material loss in connection with the Saddle Ridge Fire, but the range of reasonably possible losses that could be incurred cannot be estimated at this time. SCE has not accrued a charge for potential losses relating to the Saddle Ridge Fire. 2020 Bobcat Fire The "Bobcat Fire" was reported in the vicinity of Cogswell Dam in Los Angeles County in September 2020. The United States Forest Service ("USFS") has reported that the Bobcat Fire burned approximately 116,000 acres in Los Angeles County, destroyed an estimated 87 homes, one commercial property and 83 minor structures, damaged an estimated 28 homes and 19 minor structures, and resulted in injuries to six firefighters. In addition, fire authorities have estimated suppression costs at approximately $80 million. An investigation into the cause of the Bobcat Fire was led by the USFS. |