Particle.news
Download on the App Store
13 ARTICLES
·
last wk.

California Debates Surcharge Extension as Edison Launches Eaton Fire Compensation Program

State disaster officials are debating ratepayer surcharge extensions alongside legal reforms to shield the $21 billion wildfire fund following warnings that Eaton Fire claims may exhaust its resources.

Sam Holtzman and his son Eibu, 9, residents of northwest Altadena, whose house still stands but remains inaccessible due to Eaton Fire contamination in January, look at a map of Altadena fire damage created by Noel McCarthy, a stylized update of Los Angeles County's Eaton Fire damage map, Wednesday, July 9, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Image
Image
Image

Overview

  • Southern California Edison announced a voluntary Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program this fall to provide expedited payouts to Eaton Fire victims without admitting that its equipment caused the blaze.
  • A draft annual report from the California Catastrophe Response Council warns that insured losses from the January fire could reach $15.2 billion and potentially deplete the $21 billion fund.
  • Dozens of lawsuits filed by families, residents and local governments, combined with hedge funds buying insurance subrogation claims, have heightened concerns over rising legal costs.
  • Lawmakers are considering extending the roughly $3 monthly electricity surcharge beyond its planned 2035 expiration and amending AB 1054 to cap attorney fees and prioritize direct victim settlements over investor claims.
  • Investigators continue to determine whether decades-old Southern California Edison transmission lines sparked the Eaton Fire, a finding that will shape utility liability and fund reimbursements.