S&P may cut Berkshire-owned PacifiCorp utility to junk because of wildfires
By Jonathan Stempel
Published on March 3, 2026.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (S&P) may cut Berkshire-owned PacifiCorp utility to junk due to wildfires. The warning comes after a jury awarded $305 million to 16 plaintiffs, or about $19 million per plaintiff, who blame Pacifi Corp. for failing to turn off power lines during a Labor Day weekend windstorm. S&P may cut PacifiCor's "BBB-minus" rating by at least two notches if future awards are around $19 per plaintiff. The utility's immediate parent, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, warned that a loss of investment-grade status could leave it unable to support ongoing operations.
Related Articles
U.S. treasuries and the dollar may never regain their status as safe-haven assets: Macquarie
Mackekeke's office in New York is now more than 40 years old and yet another is still relatively recent;
Redfin, Zillow reveal huge mortgage rate, housing market shift
For the first time in five years, more US homeowners have mortgage rates above 6%, reflecting economic strength, though this is unlikely to predict market volatility.
Social media scammers are ripping real estate agents’ house videos and making money
Fraudsters are stealing real estate agents’s videos and selling them online for low rent, posing as prospective renters, causing panic among San Francisco's rental market.