From Bloomberg:

"The trial that PacifiCorp lost in June marked the first time a jury was asked to assess how much property owners in large-scale fires should be compensated for losses blamed on a utility's equipment. In the past, other companies, including California-based PG&E Corp., have settled such claims rather than test their luck defending them before a jury.

Allegations that PacifiCorp failed to heed hazardous weather warnings and shut off power in its service areas before toppled power lines ignited blazes led jurors in state court in Portland to find the company liable and award an average of $5 million to each of 17 property owners.

The company said at the trial that it could end up on the hook for $11 billion ' more than its net worth ' and possibly get pushed into bankruptcy if owners of some 2,500 properties in the class-action case are awarded similar damages in future proceedings."

Berkshire Hathaway FAQ

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