SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Attorney General Kamala D. Harris issued the following statement on the federal grand jury indictment of Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (PG&E) for criminal violations of the federal Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968:

“Today’s indictment is an important step in providing justice for the individuals, families and community devastated by the 2010 pipeline explosion and fire in San Bruno. As alleged in the indictment, PG&E knowingly and willfully failed to identify and evaluate threats to its transmission pipelines, including Line 132 underneath much of San Bruno. When allegedly faced with evidence of transmission line problems, PG&E knowingly and willfully chose not to assess and remediate them.

My office will continue our work with local and federal partners in prosecuting this matter in federal court and holding PG&E accountable for its alleged conduct."

On September 9, 2010, a portion of Line 132 in San Bruno exploded and resulted in a fire that killed eight people, injured 58 others, and damaged or destroyed numerous homes. The California Department of Justice has been conducting a criminal investigation related to the explosion in partnership with local authorities from the San Mateo District Attorney’s Office, the San Bruno Police Department, and the San Bruno Fire Department, as well as federal agencies including the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration.

The charges and allegations contained in the indictment against PG&E are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proved guilty.

You may view the full account of this posting, including possible attachments, in the News & Alerts section of our website at: http://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-kamala-d-harris-i...