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SCE promises speedy payments to those affected by Eaton

Fire

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Death payouts will total millions for affected families

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Utility consulted with 9/11 fund administrator for plan's

design

By Tim McLaughlin

Oct 29 (Reuters) - Southern California Edison said

on Wednesday it would pay several million dollars each to

families who lost loved ones in the January wildfires that

scorched 14,000 acres in greater Los Angeles and destroyed

thousands of homes and businesses.

The utility, owned by Edison International ( EIX ), said

eligible individuals and businesses can now submit claims to

receive payments and resolutions that include loss of life and

property related to the Eaton Fire through its Wildlife Recovery

Compensation Program.

The Eaton fire ripped through southern California in January

2025, killing 19 people and destroying more than 9,400

single-family homes and other buildings.

Putting a figure on the loss of life proved to be one of the

most challenging aspects to the program, Edison International ( EIX )

CEO Pedro Pizarro told Reuters in a telephone interview.

"That's a very challenging one because we know that life is

precious," Pizarro said.

SCE said the death claims will include payments for pain and

suffering, economic losses and a direct claim premium of $5

million per decedent.

After getting input from the community, SCE expanded payment

eligibility to properties damaged by ash and smoke, Pizarro

said. Initially, there were about 12,000 properties eligible,

but nearly 6,000 were added to that number, he said.

Another major change to the compensation program was a 50%

increase in payments for each child affected by a destroyed

home. Residents whose primary home was destroyed will receive

$115,000 per adult and $75,000 per child.

Through the utility's voluntary program, eligible residents

will receive a settlement offer within 90 days of making a

claim. Payments will be made within 30 days after all the

conditions in the settlement agreement are satisfied.

There has been no official ruling on the cause of the fire.

But SCE has acknowledged that circumstantial evidence suggests

that one of the utility's idled high-voltage transmission lines

could have ignited the Eaton blaze amid winds that topped 100

mph in early January.

SCE has $1 billion of customer-funded self-insurance

coverage available for Eaton-related claims. Losses in excess of

that amount would be reimbursed through California's Wildlife

Insurance Fund, which has an estimated $22 billion.

SCE consulted with Kenneth Feinberg, who oversaw payments

from the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, and his

colleague Camille Biros, on the design of the company's wildfire

fund.

Biros said the goal of the program is to get money to

families as quickly as possible without additional imposition

and problems.

"They're already going through enough," Biros said in a

telephone interview. "With this program we reasonably get the

money to a family that may be very much in need."