Pacific Gas & Electric plans to resume negotiations with the city of San Bruno Feb. 17 to settle claims stemming from its disastrous 2010 pipeline explosion in the city on the San Francisco peninsula. At the meeting, Pacific Gas & Electric senior vice president Greg Pruett said the utility is likely to discuss providing the city with additional funds beyond what it already has set aside in two different funds totaling $170 million to cover the aftermath of the disaster. Pruett told reporters in a news conference Feb. 15 that the utility is examining funding capital improvements in the city, such as investments in parks and libraries. Pruett addressed news reporters after the city issued a statement earlier that morning claiming the utility was stalling negotiations. San Bruno mayor Jim Ruane accused PG&E of wanting “to walk away after doing the minimum required by law.” Instead, he said, PG&E should “pay restitution.” Pruett acknowledged the feelings of the mayor and others in San Bruno, suggesting that the company also wants to resolve the matter. To date, PG&E has set up two separate funds. One is a $70 million trust fund to reimburse the city for expenses related to recovering from the disaster. So far, the city has made $12 million in claims, Pruett said. In addition, PG&E set up a $100 million Rebuild San Bruno Fund, out of which it has paid $45 million to cover damages to local residents and cover the cost that various government agencies beyond the city incurred in responding to the explosion and ensuing fire. San Bruno, according to Pruett, also is seeking to join a California Public Utilities Commission proceeding aimed at levying a penalty on PG&E. The utility executive said the CPUC conceivably could direct to the city a portion of any penalty it orders PG&E to pay. The San Bruno pipeline explosion occurred Sept. 9, 2010. It killed eight, destroyed 38 homes, and damaged another 70. Since then, the CPUC has moved to upgrade safety standards and oversight for the state’s natural gas pipelines, prompting PG&E to spend in excess of $300 million on safety testing and upgrades, acknowledged Pruett. He added that all the expenses have been borne by the company’s shareholders, not its ratepayers.