Walmart issues a lawsuit against Tesla Energy Operations
The US retail chain presented the complaint to the Supreme Court of the State of New York for "gross negligence"
Walmart, the largest retail distribution chain in the United States, filed a lawsuit against Tesla Energy Operations, Tesla’s renewable energy division formerly known as SolarCity, before the New York State Supreme Court, which it accuses of “gross negligence” and breach of contract, after the solar panels installed in seven of its stores caught fire.
“This is an action for breach of contract derived from years of serious negligence and lack of compliance with industry standards by Tesla with respect to the solar panels that Tesla designed, installed and committed to operate and maintain safely on the roofs of hundreds of Walmart stores,” says the demand document that was leaked by the media.
In its demand, the retail distribution chain notes that “no less than seven Walmart stores” registered fires due to the solar panel systems installed by Tesla between August 2012 and November 2018.
Specifically, the reported incidents were located in Walmart establishments in the towns of Beavercreek (Ohio), Denton (Maryland) and the Californian Indio, Yuba City, Milpitas, Lakeside and Long Beach, although the US chain assures that there are more than 240 stores which have photovoltaic systems installed, operated and maintained by Tesla.
“By May 2018, it was clear that Tesla had breached its contractual obligations,” says Walmart, noting that properly designed, installed, inspected and maintained solar systems “do not suffer spontaneous combustion, so the multiple fires involving solar systems of Tesla are just an unequivocal sign of negligence on its part.”
K. Tovar
Fuente: El País
