CPUC penalizes Southern California Edison

SAN FRANCISCO, California - - The California Public Utilities Commission CPUC recently penalized Southern California Edison $16.7 million for failure to timely report ex parte communications and for misleading the CPUC, in violation of CPUC rules.

The CPUC determined that Edison engaged in eight unreported ex parte communications between March 26, 2013 and June 17, 2014 related to the shutdown of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, in violation of Rule 8.4 of the CPUCÂ’s Rules of Practice and Procedure stemming from failure to report, before or after, ex parte communications that occurred between an Edison executives and a Commissioner. In addition, the CPUC determined that Edison twice violated Rule 1.1, the CPUCÂ’s ethics rule, as a result of the acts and omissions of Edison and its employees, which misled the CPUC, showed disrespect for the CPUCÂ’s Rules, and undermined public confidence in the CPUC.

Of the total penalty:

- $16,520,000 is based on finding that a continuing Rule 1.1 violation was set in motion by EdisonÂ’s failure to accurately and timely report ex parte communications that occurred in Warsaw, Poland

- $190,000 is for EdisonÂ’s violations of Rule 8.4 related to unreported ex parte communications

- $30,000 is for a Rule 1.1 violation related to a false statement about ex parte communications