California Public Utilities Commission to vote on penalty to impose on PG&E for San Bruno explosion

SAN FRANCISCO -- This is a huge day for PG&E and the victims of the 2010 explosion and fire in San Bruno that killed eight people. Regulators will vote on massive fines and penalties at a meeting today.

A pricey punishment will be given to PG&E today. They're going to fine the utility more than $1 billion. But the new California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) president is wondering if that is really an effective punishment, he's also questioning whether PG&E can be safe in the future.

The fine is for causing the explosion in San Bruno in 2010 that killed eight people. Today the CPUC will listen to public comment before handing down the punishment. But the president of the Public Utilities Commission says PG&E makes so much money, he worries the utility can just shrug off the fine. He wants his staff to look into the possibility of recovering corporate bonuses to executives as a form of punishment. He's also concerned about PG&E's size and its ability to be safe in the future.

PG&E responded to the Associated Press by saying it has redoubled its safety training, changed top executives and made its natural gas system safer. The meeting starts at 9:30 a.m.