Particle.news
Download on the App Store
9 ARTICLES
·
3h ago

Edison Publishes Draft Payout Plan for Eaton Fire Victims, Sets Dates for Community Workshops

The voluntary program ties faster, formula-based payments to waivers of future lawsuits against the utility.

ALTADENA, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 11: SoCal Edison transmission towers (TOP) stand above a home destroyed in the Eaton Fire on March 11, 2025 in Altadena, California. Los Angeles County filed a lawsuit last week alleging that Southern California Edison’s electrical equipment caused the Eaton Fire which left 17 people dead and 9,400 buildings destroyed. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Image
FILE: Firefighters battle the Eaton Fire amid strong winds as many homes burn in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 7, 2025. 
Image

Overview

  • Southern California Edison released draft terms for a Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program and scheduled two virtual sessions on Sept. 25 and 26 and two in-person meetings on Sept. 27 and 29 in Altadena to take public comment.
  • Homeowners who settle directly with the company would see rebuilding payments of $550–$750 per square foot, with an example of $900,000 for a 1,500-square-foot destroyed home plus a $200,000 direct-claim premium.
  • The draft outlines payments for deaths and injuries, including $1.5 million for noneconomic damages to a decedent’s estate, $500,000 for each surviving spouse or dependent, and a $5 million direct-claim premium in wrongful-death cases.
  • The program offers a fast-pay track targeting offers in about 90 days and a standard track with offers within nine months, with a planned 12‑month window to file once the program launches this fall.
  • Participation is optional and not an admission of fault by Edison, which faces ongoing lawsuits from victims, local governments and the U.S. Department of Justice alleging its equipment ignited the Jan. 7 fire that destroyed more than 9,000 structures and killed at least 18 people.