Walmart Inc. (NYSE:WMT) and Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) are working to address issues regarding the solar panel installations that allegedly caused a fire in seven of Walmart’s stores.
Reenergizing the solar installations
The announcement comes two days after Walmart filed a lawsuit against the electric carmaker regarding repeated fires that were reported at their stores. The fires occurred from 2012 through to 2018 and affected outlets in Maryland, California, and Ohio.
The companies have indicated that they are considering reenergizing the solar installations at the retailer’s stores. This will be after both parties are satisfied that the concerns regarding the solar panels have been addressed. The companies stated in a joint statement that they were looking to ensure that all systems are operating efficiently, reliably, and safely.
Tesla sued for negligence
In the lawsuit that Walmart had filed it blamed Tesla of negligence in the installations that resulted in the fires. The retailer grew dissatisfied on how the carmaker was addressing the issue. In its demand, the retailer was seeking a payment of $8 million in cost that incurred as a result of the fires. Walmart also wanted the solar panels to be uninstalled in all its 240 outlets.
Walmart has not withdrawn the lawsuit yet, and the complaint is still in a New York court. However, the two companies are determined to reach an agreement to avoid the lawsuit. A Walmart spokesperson indicated that the parties are working on an agreement although neither company provided details of any negotiations.
Tesla has experienced a decline in solar installations since they acquired the business from SolarCity. Early this month, Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, announced a new rental program for the solar business in a bid to boost sales. The company reportedly deployed only 29 megawatts of solar installation in the second quarter while its competitors Vivint Solar and SunRun had 56 megawatts and 103 megawatts respectively.
The two companies have worked together in various clean initiatives, which include Walmart’s pre-order of 45 electric Lorries from Tesla.
