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Commitments and Contingencies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2022
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

Note 12. Commitments and Contingencies

Indemnities

Edison International and SCE have various financial and performance guarantees and indemnity agreements which are issued in the normal course of business.

Edison International and SCE have agreed to provide indemnifications through contracts entered into in the normal course of business. These are primarily indemnifications against adverse litigation outcomes in connection with underwriting agreements, indemnities for specified environmental liabilities and income taxes with respect to assets sold or other contractual arrangements. Edison International's and SCE's obligations under these agreements may or may not be limited in terms of time and/or amount, and in some instances Edison International and SCE may have recourse against third parties. Edison International and SCE have not recorded a liability related to these indemnities. The overall maximum amount of the obligations under these indemnifications cannot be reasonably estimated.

Contingencies

In addition to the matters disclosed in these Notes, Edison International and SCE are involved in other legal, tax, and regulatory proceedings before various courts and governmental agencies regarding matters arising in the ordinary course of business. Edison International and SCE believe the outcome of each of these other proceedings will not materially affect its financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Southern California Wildfires and Mudslides

Wildfires in SCE's territory, including those where SCE's equipment may be alleged to be associated with the fire's ignition, have caused loss of life and substantial damage in recent years. California has experienced unprecedented weather conditions in recent years due to climate change, and SCE's service territory remains susceptible to additional wildfire activity.

Numerous claims related to wildfire events have been initiated against SCE and Edison International. Edison International and SCE have incurred material losses in connection with the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events (defined below), which are described below. SCE's equipment has been, and may further be, alleged to be associated with several wildfires that have originated in Southern California subsequent to 2018, including the 2019/2020 Wildfires (defined below). Edison International and SCE expect that any losses incurred in connection with those fires will be covered by insurance, subject to self-insured retentions and co-insurance, or third-party receivables, and expect that any such losses after recoveries will not be material.

Liability Overview

The extent of liability for wildfire-related damages in actions against utilities depends on a number of factors, including whether the utility substantially caused or contributed to the damages and whether parties seeking recovery of damages will be required to show negligence in addition to causation. California courts have previously found utilities to be strictly liable for property damage along with associated interest and attorneys' fees, regardless of fault, by applying the theory of inverse condemnation when a utility's facilities were determined to be a substantial cause of a wildfire that caused the property damage. If inverse condemnation is held to be inapplicable to SCE in connection with a wildfire, SCE still could be held liable for property damages and associated interest if the property damages were found to have been proximately caused by SCE's negligence. If SCE were to be found negligent, SCE could also be held liable for, among other things, fire suppression costs, business interruption losses, evacuation costs, clean-up costs, medical expenses, and personal injury/wrongful death claims. Additionally, SCE could potentially be subject to fines and penalties for alleged violations of CPUC rules and state laws investigated in connection with the ignition of a wildfire.

Final determinations of liability for wildfire events, including determinations of whether SCE was negligent, would only be made during lengthy and complex litigation processes. Even when investigations are still pending or liability is disputed, an

assessment of likely outcomes, including through future settlement of disputed claims, may require estimated losses to be accrued under accounting standards. Each reporting period, management reviews its loss estimates for remaining alleged and potential claims related to wildfire events. The process for estimating losses associated with alleged and potential wildfire related claims requires management to exercise significant judgment based on a number of assumptions and subjective factors, including, but not limited to: estimates of known and expected claims by third parties based on currently available information, opinions of counsel regarding litigation risk, the status of and developments in the course of litigation, and prior experience litigating and settling wildfire litigation claims. As additional information becomes available, management's estimates and assumptions regarding the causes and financial impact of wildfire events may change.

2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events

Wildfires in SCE's territory in December 2017 and November 2018 caused loss of life, substantial damage to both residential and business properties, and service outages for SCE customers. The investigating government agencies, the Ventura County Fire Department ("VCFD") and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection ("CAL FIRE"), have determined that the largest of the 2017 fires in SCE's territory originated on December 4, 2017, in the Anlauf Canyon area of Ventura County (the investigating agencies refer to this fire as the "Thomas Fire"), followed shortly thereafter by a second fire that originated near Koenigstein Road in the City of Santa Paula (the "Koenigstein Fire"). The December 4, 2017 fires eventually burned substantial acreage in both Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. According to CAL FIRE, the Thomas and Koenigstein Fires, collectively, burned over 280,000 acres, destroyed or damaged an estimated 1,343 structures and resulted in two confirmed fatalities. The largest of the November 2018 fires in SCE's territory, known as the "Woolsey Fire," originated in Ventura County and burned acreage in both Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. According to CAL FIRE, the Woolsey Fire burned almost 100,000 acres, destroyed an estimated 1,643 structures, damaged an estimated 364 structures and resulted in three confirmed fatalities. Four additional fatalities are alleged to have been associated with the Woolsey Fire.

As described below, multiple lawsuits related to the Thomas and Koenigstein Fires and the Woolsey Fire have been initiated against SCE and Edison International. Some of the Thomas and Koenigstein Fires lawsuits claim that SCE and Edison International have responsibility for the damages caused by debris flows and flooding in Montecito and surrounding areas in January 2018 (the "Montecito Mudslides") based on a theory alleging that SCE has responsibility for the Thomas and/or Koenigstein Fires and further alleging that the Thomas and/or Koenigstein Fires proximately caused the Montecito Mudslides. According to Santa Barbara County initial reports, the Montecito Mudslides destroyed an estimated 135 structures, damaged an estimated 324 structures, and resulted in 21 confirmed fatalities, with two additional fatalities presumed. One of the presumed fatalities has been confirmed.

The Thomas Fire, the Koenigstein Fire, the Montecito Mudslides (defined below) and the Woolsey Fire are each referred to as a "2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Event," and, collectively, referred to as the "2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events." Based on information available to SCE and consideration of the risks associated with litigation, Edison International and SCE expect to incur a material loss in connection with the remaining alleged and potential claims related to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events.

Recent developments

Each reporting period, management reviews its loss estimates for remaining alleged and potential claims related to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events. As a result of management’s first quarter 2022 review, including a review of large damage claims presented by a small number of plaintiffs and new lawsuits filed in the Woolsey Fire litigation, a $416 million increase in estimated losses for the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events as of March 31, 2022 was recorded. As a result, Edison International and SCE also recorded expected recoveries through FERC electric rates of $26 million against the charge, and the resulting net charge to earnings was $390 million ($281 million after-tax).

Estimated losses for the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events litigation are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to change as additional information becomes available. Actual losses incurred may be higher or lower than estimated based

on several factors, including the uncertainty in estimating damages that have been or may be alleged. For instance, SCE will receive additional information with respect to damages claimed, particularly with respect to plaintiffs in the Woolsey litigation, as milestones in the litigation are met. Other factors that can cause actual losses incurred to be higher or lower than estimated include the ability to reach settlements through the ongoing claims mediation processes, uncertainties related to the litigation processes, uncertainty as to the legal and factual determinations to be made during litigation, including uncertainty as to the contributing causes of the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events, the complexities associated with fires that merge and whether inverse condemnation will be held applicable to SCE with respect to damages caused by the Montecito Mudslides, and the uncertainty as to how these factors impact future settlements.

As of March 31, 2022, Edison International and SCE had paid $6.4 billion under executed settlements, had $137 million to be paid under executed settlements and had $1.3 billion of estimated losses for remaining alleged and potential claims and for the SED Agreement (defined below) reflected on their consolidated balance sheets related to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events. As of the same date, Edison International and SCE had assets for expected recoveries through FERC electric rates of $155 million on their consolidated balance sheets and had exhausted expected insurance recoveries related to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events.

The CPUC and FERC may not allow SCE to recover uninsured losses through electric rates if it is determined that such losses were not reasonably or prudently incurred. SCE will seek rate recovery of prudently-incurred, actual losses realized in connection with the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events in excess of available insurance, other than for CPUC-jurisdictional rate recovery of the $375 million of SED Excluded Losses (defined below) if the CPUC's approval of the SED Agreement becomes final and non-appealable. See "Loss Estimates for Third Party Claims and Potential Recoveries from Insurance and through Electric Rates" below for additional information.

External Investigations and Internal Review

The VCFD and CAL FIRE have jointly issued reports concerning their findings regarding the causes of the Thomas Fire and the Koenigstein Fire. The reports did not address the causes of the Montecito Mudslides. SCE has also received a non-final redacted draft of a report from the VCFD regarding Woolsey Fire (the "Redacted Woolsey Report"). SCE cannot predict when the VCFD will release its final report regarding the Woolsey Fire. The VCFD and CAL FIRE findings do not determine legal causation of or assign legal liability for the Thomas, Koenigstein or Woolsey Fires; final determinations of legal causation and liability would only be made during lengthy and complex litigation.

The CPUC's Safety and Enforcement Division ("SED") conducted investigations to assess SCE's compliance with applicable rules and regulations in areas impacted by the Thomas, Koenigstein and Woolsey Fires. As discussed below, in October 2021, SCE and the SED executed the SED Agreement (as defined below) to resolve the SED's investigations into the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events.

The California Attorney General's Office has completed its investigation of the Thomas Fire and the Woolsey Fire without pursuing criminal charges.

SCE's internal review into the facts and circumstances of each of the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events is complex and time consuming. SCE expects to obtain and review additional information and materials in the possession of third parties during the course of its internal reviews and the litigation processes.

Thomas Fire

On March 13, 2019, the VCFD and CAL FIRE jointly issued a report concluding, after ruling out other possible causes, that the Thomas Fire was started by SCE power lines coming into contact during high winds, resulting in molten metal falling to the ground. However, the report does not state that their investigation found molten metal on the ground. At this time, based on available information, SCE has not determined whether its equipment caused the Thomas Fire. Based on publicly available radar data showing a smoke plume in the Anlauf Canyon area emerging in advance of the report's indicated start

time, SCE believes that the Thomas Fire started at least 12 minutes prior to any issue involving SCE's system and at least 15 minutes prior to the start time indicated in the report. SCE is continuing to assess the extent of damages that may be attributable to the Thomas Fire.

Koenigstein Fire

On March 20, 2019, the VCFD and CAL FIRE jointly issued a report finding that the Koenigstein Fire was caused when an energized SCE electrical wire separated and fell to the ground along with molten metal particles and ignited the dry vegetation below. As previously disclosed, SCE believes that its equipment was associated with the ignition of the Koenigstein Fire. SCE is continuing to assess the extent of damages that may be attributable to the Koenigstein Fire.

Montecito Mudslides

SCE's internal review includes inquiry into whether the Thomas and/or Koenigstein Fires proximately caused or contributed to the Montecito Mudslides, whether, and to what extent, the Thomas and/or Koenigstein Fires were responsible for the damages in the Montecito area and other factors that potentially contributed to the losses that resulted from the Montecito Mudslides. Many other factors, including, but not limited to, weather conditions and insufficiently or improperly designed and maintained debris basins, roads, bridges and other channel crossings, could have proximately caused, contributed to or exacerbated the losses that resulted from the Montecito Mudslides.

At this time, based on available information, SCE has not been able to determine whether the Thomas Fire or the Koenigstein Fire, or both, were responsible for the damages in the Montecito area. In the event that SCE is determined to have caused the fire that spread to the Montecito area, SCE cannot predict whether, if fully litigated, the courts would conclude that the Montecito Mudslides were caused or contributed to by the Thomas and/or Koenigstein Fires or that SCE would be liable for some or all of the damages caused by the Montecito Mudslides.

Woolsey Fire

SCE's internal review into the facts and circumstances of the Woolsey Fire is ongoing. SCE has reported to the CPUC that there was an outage on SCE's electric system in the vicinity of where the Woolsey Fire reportedly began on November 8, 2018. SCE is aware of witnesses who saw fire in the vicinity of SCE's equipment at the time the fire was first reported. While SCE did not find evidence of downed electrical wires on the ground in the suspected area of origin, it observed a pole support wire in proximity to an electrical wire that was energized prior to the outage.

The Redacted Woolsey Report states that the VCFD investigation team determined that electrical equipment owned and operated by SCE was the cause of the Woolsey Fire. Absent additional evidence, SCE believes that it is likely that its equipment was associated with the ignition of the Woolsey Fire. SCE expects to obtain and review additional information and materials in the possession of CAL FIRE and others during the course of its internal review and the Woolsey Fire litigation process, including SCE equipment that has been retained by CAL FIRE.

Litigation

Multiple lawsuits related to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events naming SCE as a defendant have been filed by three categories of plaintiffs: individual plaintiffs, subrogation plaintiffs and public entity plaintiffs. A number of the lawsuits also name Edison International as a defendant and some of the lawsuits were filed as purported class actions. Because potential plaintiffs can still timely file claims related to the Woolsey Fire, SCE expects to be the subject of additional lawsuits related to the events. The litigation could take a number of years to be resolved because of the complexity of the matters and number of plaintiffs.

On October 4, 2018, the Los Angeles Superior Court denied Edison International's and SCE's challenge to the application of inverse condemnation to SCE with respect to the Thomas and Koenigstein Fires and, on February 26, 2019, the California Supreme Court denied SCE's petition to review the Superior Court's decision. In January 2019, SCE filed a cross-complaint

against certain local public entities alleging that failures by these entities, such as failure to adequately plan for flood hazards and build and maintain adequate debris basins, roads, bridges and other channel crossings, among other things, caused, contributed to or exacerbated the losses that resulted from the Montecito Mudslides. These cross-claims in the Montecito Mudslides litigation were not released as part of the Local Public Entity Settlements (as defined below).

Settlements

In the fourth quarter of 2019, SCE paid $360 million to a number of local public entities to resolve those parties' collective claims arising from the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events (the "Local Public Entity Settlements").

In the third quarter of 2020, Edison International and SCE entered into an agreement (the "TKM Subrogation Settlement") under which all of the insurance subrogation plaintiffs' in the Thomas Fire, Koenigstein Fire and Montecito Mudslides litigation (the "TKM Subrogation Plaintiffs") collective claims arising from the Thomas Fire, Koenigstein Fire or Montecito Mudslides have been resolved. Under the TKM Subrogation Settlement, SCE paid the TKM Subrogation Plaintiffs an aggregate of $1.2 billion in October 2020 and also agreed to pay $0.555 for each dollar in claims to be paid by the TKM Subrogation Plaintiffs to their policy holders on or before July 15, 2023, up to an agreed upon cap.

In January 2021, Edison International and SCE entered into an agreement (the "Woolsey Subrogation Settlement") under which all of the insurance subrogation plaintiffs' in the Woolsey Fire litigation (the "Woolsey Subrogation Plaintiffs") collective claims arising from the Woolsey Fire have been resolved. Under the Woolsey Subrogation Settlement, SCE paid the Woolsey Subrogation Plaintiffs an aggregate of $2.2 billion in March and April 2021. SCE has also agreed to pay $0.67 for each dollar in claims to be paid by the Woolsey Subrogation Plaintiffs to their policy holders on or before July 15, 2023, up to an agreed upon cap.

As of March 31, 2022, SCE has also entered into settlements with approximately 7,000 individual plaintiffs in the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events litigation. In 2020 and 2021, SCE entered into settlements with individual plaintiffs in the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events litigation under which it agreed to pay an aggregate of approximately $300 million and $1.7 billion, respectively, to those individual plaintiffs. Between December 31, 2021 and March 31, 2022, SCE entered into settlements with individual plaintiffs in the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events litigation under which it agreed to pay an aggregate of approximately $700 million to those individual plaintiffs.

Edison International and SCE did not admit wrongdoing or liability as part of any of the settlements described above. Other claims and potential claims related to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events remain. SCE continues to explore reasonable settlement opportunities with other plaintiffs in the outstanding 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events litigation.

SED Agreement

In October 2021, SCE and the SED executed an agreement (the "SED Agreement") to resolve the SED's investigations into the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events and three other 2017 wildfires for, among other things, aggregate costs of $550 million. The $550 million in costs is comprised of a $110 million fine to be paid to the State of California General Fund, $65 million of shareholder-funded safety measures, and an agreement by SCE to waive its right to seek cost recovery in CPUC-jurisdictional rates for $375 million of third-party uninsured claims payments (the "SED Excluded Losses"). The SED Agreement provides that SCE may, on a permanent basis, exclude from its ratemaking capital structure any after-tax charges to equity or debt borrowed to finance costs incurred under the SED Agreement. The SED Agreement also imposes other obligations on SCE, including reporting requirements and safety-focused studies. The CPUC approved the SED Agreement in December 2021 and its approval has been legally challenged by The Utility Reform Network (“TURN”). In April 2022, the CPUC denied TURN’s challenge on all but one issue, which now requires the SED to provide the CPUC with its analysis of the factors required to be considered for penalty assessments relative to the SED Agreement. SCE's obligations under the SED Agreement will only commence after CPUC approval of the SED Agreement is final and non-appealable.

SCE did not admit imprudence, negligence or liability with respect to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events in the SED Agreement.

Loss Estimates for Third Party Claims and Potential Recoveries from Insurance and through Electric Rates

At March 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, Edison International's and SCE's consolidated balance sheets include fixed payments to be made under executed settlement agreements and accrued estimated losses of $1.4 billion and $1.7 billion, respectively, for the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events. The following table presents changes in estimated losses since December 31, 2021:

(in millions)

    

Balance at December 31, 20211

$

1,734

Increase in accrued estimated losses to reflect best estimate

 

416

Amounts paid

 

(717)

Balance at March 31, 20222

$

1,433

1At December 31, 2021, $131 million in current liabilities, wildfire-related claims, on Edison International's and SCE's consolidated balance sheets consists of settlements executed in connection with the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events. At December 31, 2021, the $1,733 million included in deferred credits and other liabilities, wildfire-related claims, on Edison International's and SCE's consolidated balance sheets includes Edison International's and SCE's best estimate of expected losses for the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events of $1,603 million and other wildfire-related claims estimates of $130 million.
2At March 31, 2022, $137 million in current liabilities, wildfire-related claims, on Edison International's and SCE's consolidated balance sheets consists of settlements executed in connection with the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events. At March 31, 2022, the $1,531 million included in deferred credits and other liabilities, wildfire-related claims, on Edison International's and SCE's consolidated balance sheets includes Edison International's and SCE's best estimate of expected losses for remaining alleged and potential claims related to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events of $1,296 million and other wildfire-related claims estimates of $235 million.

For the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, Edison International's and SCE's income statements include charges for the estimated losses, net of expected recoveries from insurance and FERC customers, related to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events as follows:

Three months ended March 31, 

(in millions)

    

2022

    

2021

Charge for wildfire-related claims

$

416

$

Expected revenue from FERC customers

 

(26)

 

Total pre-tax charge

 

390

 

Income tax benefit

 

(109)

Total after-tax charge

$

281

$

For events that occurred in 2017 and early 2018, principally the Thomas and Koenigstein Fires and Montecito Mudslides, SCE had $1.0 billion of wildfire-specific insurance coverage, subject to a self-insured retention of $10 million per occurrence. For the Woolsey Fire, SCE had an additional $1.0 billion of wildfire-specific insurance coverage, subject to a self-insured retention of $10 million per occurrence. Edison International and SCE record a receivable for insurance recoveries when recovery of a recorded loss is determined to be probable.

In total, through March 31, 2022, SCE has accrued estimated losses of $7.9 billion, has paid or agreed to pay approximately $6.6 billion in settlements and has recovered $2.0 billion from its insurance carriers in relation to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events.

Recovery of SCE's actual losses realized in connection with the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events in excess of available insurance is subject to approval by regulators. Under accounting standards for rate-regulated enterprises, SCE defers costs as regulatory assets when it concludes that such costs are probable of future recovery in electric rates. SCE utilizes objectively

determinable evidence to form its view on probability of future recovery. The only directly comparable precedent in which a California investor-owned utility has sought recovery for uninsured wildfire-related costs is SDG&E's requests for cost recovery related to 2007 wildfire activity, where the FERC allowed recovery of all FERC-jurisdictional wildfire-related costs while the CPUC rejected recovery of all CPUC-jurisdictional wildfire-related costs based on a determination that SDG&E did not meet the CPUC's prudency standard. As a result, while SCE does not agree with the CPUC's decision, it believes that the CPUC's interpretation and application of the prudency standard to SDG&E creates substantial uncertainty regarding how that standard will be applied to an investor-owned utility in wildfire cost-recovery proceedings for fires ignited prior to July 12, 2019. SCE will continue to evaluate the probability of recovery based on available evidence, including judicial, legislative and regulatory decisions, including any CPUC decisions illustrating the interpretation and/or application of the prudency standard when making determinations regarding recovery of uninsured wildfire-related costs. While the CPUC has not made a determination regarding SCE's prudency relative to any of the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events, SCE is unable to conclude, at this time, that uninsured CPUC-jurisdictional wildfire-related costs are probable of recovery through electric rates. SCE would record a regulatory asset at the time it obtains sufficient information to support a conclusion that recovery is probable.

In July 2019, SCE filed a CEMA application with the CPUC to seek recovery of, among other things, approximately $60 million of capital expenditures and capital related expenses incurred to restore service to customers and to repair, replace and restore buildings and SCE's facilities damaged or destroyed as a result of six 2017 fires, primarily the Thomas and Koenigstein Fires. In August 2021, the CPUC issued a final decision which denied without prejudice SCE's application to recover a revenue requirement of $8 million for all six 2017 wildfires on the basis that SCE did not demonstrate that it was prudent in relation to the Thomas and Rye fires and had failed to segregate the costs attributable to the other four fires. Of the $8 million revenue requirement that was denied, $6 million was for the Thomas and Rye fires. CAL FIRE has determined that the Thomas and Rye fires were caused by SCE equipment. The decision allows SCE to submit additional applications with the CPUC to recover the costs associated with the Thomas and Rye fires, does not specify a deadline for any such applications, and directs that SCE must prove it was prudent in relation to the Thomas and/or Rye fires, as applicable, in any such future applications. As required by the final decision with respect to the other four fires, SCE filed supplemental testimony in November 2021 segregating the restoration costs attributable to each such fire. As of March 31, 2022, SCE has $184 million in assets recorded in property, plant and equipment in relation to restoration costs related to the 2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events which may not be recoverable. These assets would be impaired if the restoration costs are permanently disallowed by the CPUC in future cost recovery proceedings. SCE continues to incur costs for reconstructing its system and restoring service to structures that were damaged or destroyed by the Thomas, Koenigstein and Woolsey Fires and plans to file additional applications with the CPUC to recover such costs.

Through the operation of its FERC Formula Rate, and based upon the precedent established in SDG&E's recovery of FERC-jurisdictional wildfire-related costs, SCE believes it is probable it will recover its FERC-jurisdictional wildfire and mudslide related costs and has recorded total expected recoveries of $326 million within the FERC balancing account. This was the FERC portion of the total estimated losses accrued. As of March 31, 2022, collections have reduced the regulatory assets remaining in the FERC balancing account to $155 million.

2019/2020 Wildfires

Several wildfires significantly impacted portions of SCE's service territory in 2019 and 2020 (the wildfires that originated in Southern California in 2019 and 2020 where SCE's equipment may be alleged to be associated with the fire's ignition are referred to collectively as the "2019/2020 Wildfires"). Edison International and SCE expect that any losses incurred in connection with the 2019/2020 Wildfires will be covered by insurance, subject to self-insured retentions and co-insurance, and expect that any such losses after insurance recoveries will not be material. As of March 31, 2022, Edison International and SCE had estimated losses (established at the lower end of the reasonably estimated range of expected losses) of $229 million, and expected recoveries from insurance of approximately $171 million, reflected on their consolidated balance sheets related to the 2019/2020 Wildfires.

One of the 2019/2020 Wildfires, the "Saddle Ridge" Fire, originated in Los Angeles county in October 2019 and burned approximately 9,000 acres, destroyed an estimated 19 structures, damaged an estimated 88 structures, and resulted in injuries to 8 individuals and one fatality. An investigation into the cause of the Saddle Ridge Fire is being led by the Los Angeles Fire Department. Based on pending litigation and without considering insurance recoveries, it is reasonably possible that SCE will incur a material loss in connection with the Saddle Ridge Fire, but the range of possible losses that could be incurred cannot be estimated at this time. SCE has not accrued a charge for potential losses relating to the Saddle Ridge Fire.

Another of the 2019/2020 Wildfires, the "Bobcat Fire" was reported in the vicinity of Cogswell Dam in Los Angeles County, California in September 2020. The United States Forest Service ("USFS") has reported that the Bobcat Fire burned approximately 116,000 acres in Los Angeles County, destroyed an estimated 87 homes, 1 commercial property and 83 minor structures, damaged an estimated 28 homes and 19 minor structures, and resulted in injuries to 6 firefighters. In addition, the USFS has estimated suppression costs at $80 million. A camera in the vicinity of Cogswell Dam captured the initial stages of a fire with the first observed smoke approximately six minutes before an SCE circuit in the area experienced an anomaly (a relay). An investigation into the cause of the Bobcat Fire is being led by the USFS, and the USFS has taken a specific section of an SCE overhead conductor in the vicinity of Cogswell Dam into possession as part of its investigation. SCE understands that the USFS has also taken three tree branches in the area into possession. The SED is also conducting an investigation of the Bobcat Fire. SCE has accrued a charge for potential losses relating to the Bobcat Fire. The accrued charge corresponds to the lower end of the reasonably estimated range of expected losses that may be incurred in connection with the Bobcat Fire and is subject to change as additional information becomes available.

Current Wildfire Insurance Coverage

SCE has approximately $1.0 billion of wildfire-specific insurance coverage for events that may occur during the period July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022, subject to $50 million of self-insured retention and up to approximately $75 million of co-insurance, which results in net coverage of approximately $875 million. Various coverage limitations within the policies that make up SCE's wildfire insurance coverage could result in additional material self-insured costs, for instance in the event of multiple wildfire occurrences during a policy period or with a single wildfire with damages in excess of the policy limits. SCE believes that its insurance coverage for the July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022 period meets its obligation to maintain reasonable insurance coverage under AB 1054. SCE is in the process of procuring wildfire-specific insurance coverage for the period that will begin on July 1, 2022.

Wildfire insurance expense for SCE and Edison international in 2021, prior to any regulatory deferrals, was approximately $450 million and $425 million, respectively. In August 2021, the CPUC issued a final decision in track 1 of the 2021 GRC proceeding which authorized $460 million for SCE wildfire insurance expense for 2021 and a one-way balancing account to require any overcollection to be returned to customers. Under the final decision, SCE would continue to track incremental wildfire insurance expenses above authorized amounts in its WEMA and recovery of incremental amounts would be subject to future reasonableness review.

SCE tracks incremental insurance premium, self-insured retention and co-insurance costs related to wildfire liability insurance policies as well as other wildfire-related costs, including claims and legal costs, in its WEMA. In December 2020, SCE filed a WEMA application with the CPUC to seek recovery of an aggregate of $214 million, consisting of $204 million in wildfire insurance premium costs in excess of premiums approved in the 2018 GRC, representing wildfire insurance premiums for July 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020, the corresponding financing costs, memorandum account interest and a prior period premium adjustment.

SCE's cost of obtaining wildfire insurance coverage has increased significantly in recent years as a result of, among other things, the number of recent and significant wildfire events throughout California and the application of inverse condemnation to investor-owned utilities. As such, while SCE is required to maintain reasonable insurance coverage under AB 1054, SCE may not be able to obtain a reasonable amount of wildfire insurance, at a reasonable cost, for future policy periods.

Environmental Remediation

SCE records its environmental remediation and restoration liabilities when site assessments and/or remedial actions are probable and a range of reasonably likely cleanup costs can be estimated. SCE reviews its sites and measures the liability quarterly, by assessing a range of reasonably likely costs for each identified site using currently available information, including existing technology, presently enacted laws and regulations, experience gained at similar sites, and the probable level of involvement and financial condition of other potentially responsible parties. These estimates include costs for site investigations, remediation, operation and maintenance, monitoring, and site closure. Unless there is a single probable amount, SCE records the lower end of this reasonably likely range of costs (reflected in "Other long-term liabilities") at undiscounted amounts as timing of cash flows is uncertain.

At March 31, 2022, SCE's recorded estimated minimum liability to remediate its 26 identified material sites (sites with a liability balance at March 31, 2022, in which the upper end of the range of expected costs is at least $1 million) was $260 million, including $168 million related to San Onofre. In addition to these sites, SCE also has 14 immaterial sites with a liability balance as of March 31, 2022, for which the total minimum recorded liability was $4 million. Of the $264 million total environmental remediation liability for SCE, $245 million has been recorded as a regulatory asset. SCE expects to recover $38 million through an incentive mechanism that allows SCE to recover 90% of its environmental remediation costs at certain sites (SCE may request to include additional sites in this mechanism) and $207 million through proceedings that allow SCE to recover up to 100% of the costs incurred at certain sites through customer rates. SCE's identified sites include several sites for which there is a lack of currently available information, including the nature and magnitude of contamination, and the extent, if any, that SCE may be held responsible for contributing to any costs incurred for remediating these sites. Thus, no reasonable estimate of cleanup costs can be made for these sites.

The ultimate costs to clean up SCE's identified sites may vary from its recorded liability due to numerous uncertainties inherent in the estimation process, such as: the extent and nature of contamination; the scarcity of reliable data for identified sites; the varying costs of alternative cleanup methods; developments resulting from investigatory studies; the possibility of identifying additional sites; and the time periods over which site remediation is expected to occur. SCE believes that, due to these uncertainties, it is reasonably possible that cleanup costs at the identified material sites and immaterial sites could exceed its recorded liability by up to $117 million and $9 million, respectively. The upper limit of this range of costs was estimated using assumptions least favorable to SCE among a range of reasonably possible outcomes.

SCE expects to clean up and mitigate its identified sites over a period of up to 40 years. Remediation costs for each of the next five years are expected to range from $7 million to $26 million. Costs incurred for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021 were both $2 million.

Based upon the CPUC's regulatory treatment of environmental remediation costs incurred at SCE, SCE believes that costs ultimately recorded will not materially affect its results of operations, financial position, or cash flows. There can be no assurance, however, that future developments, including additional information about existing sites or the identification of new sites, will not require material revisions to estimates.

Nuclear Insurance

SCE is a member of Nuclear Electric Insurance Limited ("NEIL"), a mutual insurance company owned by entities with nuclear facilities. NEIL provides insurance for nuclear property damage, including damages caused by acts of terrorism up to specified limits, and for accidental outages for active facilities. The amount of nuclear property damage insurance purchased for San Onofre and Palo Verde exceeds the minimum federal requirement of $50 million and $1.1 billion, respectively. If NEIL losses at any nuclear facility covered by the arrangement were to exceed the accumulated funds for these insurance programs, SCE could be assessed retrospective premium adjustments of up to approximately $30 million per year.

Federal law limits public offsite liability claims for bodily injury and property damage from a nuclear incident to the amount of available financial protection, which is currently approximately $13.5 billion for Palo Verde and $560 million for San Onofre. SCE and other owners of San Onofre and Palo Verde have purchased the maximum private primary insurance available through a Facility Form issued by American Nuclear Insurers. SCE withdrew from participation in the secondary insurance pool for San Onofre for offsite liability insurance effective January 5, 2018. Based on its ownership interests in Palo Verde, SCE could be required to pay a maximum of approximately $65 million per nuclear incident for future incidents. However, it would have to pay no more than approximately $10 million per future incident in any one year. Based on its ownership interests in San Onofre and Palo Verde prior to January 5, 2018, SCE could be required to pay a maximum of approximately $255 million per nuclear incident and a maximum of $38 million per year per incident for liabilities arising from events prior to January 5, 2018, although SCE is not aware of any such events.

Upstream Lighting Program

From 2017 – 2019, SCE administered the Upstream Lighting Program, part of a statewide program administered by investor-owned utilities that offered discounted energy efficient light bulbs to customers through incentives to lighting manufacturers. The CPUC began investigating the programs administered by the investor-owned utilities based on reports that investor-owned utilities, including SCE, shipped a significant number of bulbs under the program that could not be tracked to customers. Beginning in January 2020, the CPUC has sought comments on remedies related to SCE's implementation of the Upstream Lighting Program from 2017 through 2019 program years. SCE undertook an independent investigation of bulbs shipped to retailers categorized as grocery and discount businesses during the 2017 to 2019 program years and found that there were overstocking of bulbs and program management shortcomings. Incentives paid to manufacturers for bulbs shipped to grocery and discount businesses during the relevant period, including those that were sold to customers, were approximately $91 million. In addition, SCE received incentives related to the bulbs shipped to grocery and discount businesses through an energy efficiency incentive mechanism ("ESPI Mechanism") of approximately $3.5 million related to the bulbs shipped in 2017 and 2018. SCE may also receive incentives of approximately $1.3 million under the ESPI Mechanism in 2022 related to bulbs shipped to grocery and discount businesses in 2018 and 2019.

In January 2021, the Public Advocates Office and The Utility Reform Network provided comments to the CPUC arguing that SCE imprudently managed the program and requesting: a refund of $33 million of ESPI awards, which includes incentives associated with the Upstream Lighting Program and other energy efficiency programs; a refund of $92 million of incentives paid to manufacturers and associated program administrative costs; $140 million in fines; and additional program improvements to be provided at shareholder expense. In March 2021, SCE filed reply comments arguing that remedies of approximately $21 million were appropriate. The CPUC has noted that it expects to address the pending issues related to the upstream lighting program in the second quarter of 2022.

SCE has accrued a charge for potential losses relating to the Upstream Lighting Program. The accrued charge corresponds to the lower end of the reasonably estimated range of expected losses that may be incurred in connection with the Upstream Lighting Program and is subject to change as additional information becomes available.