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PG&E CEO Patti Poppe said she's hopeful California lawmakers can still revive wildfire liability reform after a failed proposal sent the utilitys shares tumbling.

She said reform could lower PG&Es borrowing costs, help restore its investment-grade credit rating and unlock billions of dollars in investment.

PG&E CEO Patti Poppe said Wednesday she's hopeful the fight over California wildfire liability reform isn't over.

"We really are hopeful that they'll be able to find their way to get back to the table and finish the job for our customers," Poppe said on CNBC's " Mad Money ." "The people of California are waiting."

Shares of PG&E and fellow utility Edison International have fallen 20% and 21%, respectively, this week after lawmakers failed to advance a proposal that would have limited the amount of money individuals could seek from utility companies whose equipment ignited wildfires. PG&E is a utility company that provides electricity and natural gas to millions of people in California.

Consumer advocacy groups, including those for wildfire victims, have criticized efforts to shield utilities from liability for fires caused by their equipment, arguing the utilities must do more on prevention. Last year's deadly Eaton fire near Los Angeles was caused by an idle transmission tower owned by Edison, according to fire officials in Los Angeles County.

Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas issued a statement that said, "Sacramento shouldn't settle when wildfire survivors lost everything. Over the past several weeks, we have spent hundreds of hours at the table with Californians from every side of this fight, and the verdict is clear: The proposal before us does not yet deliver the relief, accountability or meaningful reform that Californians deserve."

But Poppe said the effort isn't necessarily dead and the legislature could also return for a special session to take up the issue.

"We're so close, and I just think that under the leadership of [ California Governor ] Gavin Newsom and Speaker Rivas, I think they can really do the job," she said.

The stakes are significant for PG&E. The utility announced Wednesday a strategic review and cut $2 billion from its 2027 capital spending plan, bringing planned investment to $11.4 billion. Poppe said the reduction will delay housing starts and renewable-energy projects in California.

The unresolved wildfire liability risk has also complicated PG&E's push to regain an investment-grade credit rating. Poppe said the company has spent the past six years strengthening its operations, including reducing wildfire risk, improving reliability and lowering customer rates. But she said the potential for outsized wildfire liabilities continues to make financing more expensive and deter some investors.

"If investors and banks see the risk too high, they charge more, or they don't enter the stock at all," Poppe said.

Poppe estimated that lower borrowing costs could have saved customers "$600 million just in the last two years of debt issuances." She said reaching investment grade would open the door to greater investment in the business and strengthen PG&E's long-term growth prospects.

"It would allow us to pull that $2 billion back into the plan," Poppe said. "It would allow us to grow our earnings at 9% plus every year, it would allow us to continue to grow our dividend."

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周一至周五，美国东部时间下午 6 点至 7 点

太平洋天然气与电力公司（PG&E）首席执行官帕蒂 · 波普表示，尽管一项提案的失败导致该公司股价暴跌，但她仍希望加州立法者能够重新推动野火责任改革。

她表示，改革或可降低太平洋煤气电力公司（PG&E）的借贷成本，帮助其恢复投资级信用评级，并释放数十亿美元的投资潜力。

太平洋天然气与电力公司（PG&E）首席执行官帕蒂 · 波普周三表示，她对加州野火责任改革的斗争尚未结束抱有希望。

波普（Poppe）在 CNBC《疯钱》节目中表示：" 我们衷心希望他们能找到重返谈判桌的途径，为我们的客户完成这项工作。加利福尼亚人民正翘首以盼。"

由于立法者未能推进一项限制个人向因设备引发野火的公用事业公司索赔金额的提案，太平洋天然气与电力公司（PG&E）及其同行爱迪生国际公司（Edison International）的股价本周分别下跌 20% 和 21%。PG&E 是一家为加利福尼亚州数百万人提供电力和天然气的公用事业公司。

包括野火灾民代表在内的消费者权益组织批评了试图免除公用事业公司对其设备引发火灾责任的举措，认为这些公司应在预防措施上加大力度。据洛杉矶县消防官员称，去年发生在洛杉矶附近、造成重大伤亡的伊顿火灾，是由爱迪生公司一座闲置的输电塔引发的。

议会发言人罗伯特 · 里瓦斯发表声明称：" 当野火灾民失去一切时，萨克拉门托不应妥协。过去数周，我们与来自各方的加州民众进行了数百小时的磋商，结论很明确：当前提案尚未提供加州人民应得的救济、问责或实质性改革。"

但波普表示，这项努力未必就此终结，立法机构也可能召开特别会议重新审议该议题。

她说：" 我们已非常接近目标，我相信在加州州长加文 · 纽瑟姆和议长里瓦斯的领导下，他们一定能完成任务。"

太平洋天然气与电力公司（PG&E）面临重大挑战。该公用事业公司周三宣布启动战略评估，并从其 2027 年资本支出计划中削减 20 亿美元，使计划投资额降至 114 亿美元。首席执行官波普表示，此次削减将推迟加利福尼亚州的住房建设开工和可再生能源项目进度。

尚未解决的野火责任风险也使太平洋天然气与电力公司（PG&E）恢复投资级信用评级的努力变得更加复杂。公司首席执行官波普表示，过去六年来公司一直致力于加强运营，包括降低野火风险、提高供电可靠性及下调用户费率。但她指出，潜在的巨额野火赔偿责任仍会推高融资成本，并令部分投资者望而却步。

波佩表示：" 如果投资者和银行认为风险过高，他们会要求更高的回报，或者干脆不进入股市。"

波普（Poppe）估计，较低的借贷成本本可为客户节省 " 仅过去两年发债期间就达 6 亿美元 "。她表示，达到投资级评级将为业务吸引更多投资打开大门，并增强太平洋煤气电力公司（PG&E）的长期增长前景。

" 这将使我们能够将 20 亿美元资金重新纳入计划，" 波佩表示，" 此举可让我们的收益每年增长 9% 以上，并持续增加股息分配。"

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