Clarification, July 10, 2026 5:25 pm: July 10, 2026 at 5:22 PM Editor's note: PG&E provided this statement regarding the CPUC staff recommendation: We share the California Public Utilities Commission’s commitment to improving safety. PG&E remains focused on reducing wildfire risk to protect our customers and communities. While no official cause of the Mosquito Fire has been determined, settling this matter now will allow us to keep focusing our time, resources, and efforts on continuing to make our system safer throughout California.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 10, 2026 – The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today issued for public comment a staff proposal that would approve a settlement agreement with Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) that penalizes the company $22 million for the 2022 Mosquito Fire in Placer County.

Under the proposed settlement between the CPUC’s Safety and Enforcement Division (SED) and PG&E, the utility would pay a penalty of $21 million in shareholder funds to the state’s General Fund and $1 million for an independent expert third-party review of PG&E’s Transmission Centralized Inspection Review Team’s operations.

The Mosquito Fire occurred near Oxbow Junction Reservoir in Placer County on Sept. 6, 2022, and burned 76,788 acres and destroyed 78 structures. SED’s investigation into the Mosquito Fire and involvement of PG&E’s infrastructure found violations of General Order 95, a CPUC regulation that sets forth safety factors and strength requirements in the design, construction, and maintenance of overhead electrical lines and communications facilities. The proposed settlement penalizes PG&E and requires them to conduct a detailed review of its Centralized Inspection Review Team’s program at shareholder expense.  

SED is proposing this settlement, formally referred to as an Administrative Consent Order (ACO), for the CPUC’s consideration under the umbrella of enforcement tools established in November 2020, when the CPUC adopted its Enforcement Policy. The policy is aimed at better serving Californians through streamlined enforcement actions in lieu of issuing Citations or seeking formal lengthy investigative proceedings, and aligns the CPUC’s enforcement practices with many other state and local enforcement agencies.

The proposed ACO and the draft Resolution adopting the settlement issued today will be on the CPUC’s Aug. 13, 2026, Voting Meeting agenda for Commissioner consideration.