>>> PG&E IS BEING PUT ON NOTICE BY OFFICIALS. WE'RE HEADING TO THE HEART OF FIRE SEASON. INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER JACKSON VANDER BECKON HAS REPORTED ON PG&E'S MAINTENANCE ISSUES. CONTINUE, AN EXCLUSIVE UPDATE. >> Reporter: AFTER GOING BANKRUPT, FOR LAWSUITS CLAIMING ITS POWER LINES SPARKED DEADLY WILDFIRES, PG&E, ALONG WITH UTILITIES IN CALIFORNIA, GOT A $21 BILLION LIFELINE TO HELP COMPENSATE FIRE VICTIMS. THERE'S A CATCH. THE UTILITIES MUST SUBMIT AN IMPROVED PLAN TO PREVENT WILDFIRES TO TAP INTO THE FUND. BUT THE AGENCY IN CHARGED OF REVIEWING THE PG&E PLAN FOUND GROWING ISSUES OF A BACKLOG OF REPAIRS IN THE HIGH-FIRE AREAS. THE AGENCY IS HOLDING UP THE PLAN UNTIL IT GETS ANSWERS. >> AND THE THREAT IS CONTINUING TO BUILD. >> Reporter: CAROLINE JACOBS SAYS PG&E NEEDS TO GO BEYOND VAGUE PROMISES OF CUTTING RISKS, GIVEN THE CLEAR THREAT OF THE BACKLOGGED WORK. >> WE NED TO BE ABLE TO SEE THAT THEY ARE BUILDING THE CAPACITY, THE PERSONNEL, THE EQUIPMENT, THE SUPPLY CHAIN, THE TIME, THE MONEY. THEY HAVE ALL THE RESOURCES IN PLACE TO BE ABLE TO REPAIR THE ISSUES AND MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM. >> Reporter: IN RESPONSE, PG&E NOW PROMISES TO CLEAR THE ENTIRE BACKLOG BY 2029. WITH A $300 MILLION PLAN THAT CALLS FOR BUNDING AND ACCELERAING OUTSTANDING REPAIRS. IN A STATEMENT, THEY SAY THE SYSTEM HAS NEVER BEEN SAFER AND WE CONTINUE TO MAKE IT SAFER EVERY DAY. BUT THOMAS JACOBS' AGENCY WANTS TO KNOW MORE HOW THEY PLAN TO MAKE GOOD ON THAT PROMISE, GIVEN THAT PG&E FINDS MORE PROBLEMS. >> THERE NEEDS TO BE MINIMUM REPAIRS THEY ARE DOING AND RISK REDUCTION. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR. >> THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN A HISTORIC PROBLEM. >> Reporter: FORMER CALIFORNIA PUBLIC YU TILLTIES REGULATOR STEVEN WRIGHTMAN SAID, THE UTILITIES HAVE AN INCENTIVE TO SHORTCHANGE FIXES. >> THERE'S BEEN INVESTMENT THAN TO SPEND MORE DOLLARS ON MAINTENANCE. ANY MONEY THEY DON'T SPEND FROM THE POOL OF FUNDS, THEY CAN PUT IN THEIR POCKETS AND IT HELPS NET EARNS. >> Reporter: PG&E SAYS IT'S FOCUSING ON UNDERGROUNDING 10,000 MILES OF ITS SYSTEM AND USING NEW TECHNOLOGY THE ISOLATE PROBLEMS AT THE FIRST SIGN OF TROUBLE AND QUICKLY RESTORES SERVICE. AND THAT IT SAYS LAST YEAR CUT EQUIPMENT FIRES BY 99%, COMPARED
