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Power company wants ratepayers to pay for fires
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SAN DIEGO (AP) — San Diego Gas and Electric is seeking authority to bill its customers $379 million for legal settlement costs left over from 2007 wildfires that destroyed 1,300 homes and killed two people.

In filings with state regulators Friday, SDG&E said customers would pay 90 percent of the costs while stockholders in the investor-owned utility would pay the remaining 10 percent — about $42 million.

The fires in northern San Diego County were triggered largely by SDG&E equipment.

The costs were not covered by wildfire insurance or counterclaims against other businesses implicated in the start of the fires.

The proposed 90-10 split is modeled after a previous state decision on a hazardous waste cleanup effort.

Several consumer groups have objected to previous attempts by SDG&E to bill customers for the wildfires.