PG&E’s $1.7 Billion Fire Settlement Could Mean Big Tax Break (1)

PG&E Corp.’s $1.68 billion settlement agreement with California over wildfires sparked by its power lines could save the bankrupt utility about $470 million in taxes.

Nearly all the wildfire recovery and prevention work included in the agreement should be deductible from both its state and federal taxes, PG&E said in a regulatory filing late Friday.

The agreement reached with state regulators in December covers Northern California blazes in 2017 and the 2018 Camp Fire, the deadliest in state history. As part of the deal, PG&E agreed not to saddle customers with $1.63 billion in costs it will incur preventing and ...