Attorneys: Firm To Plead In Power Plant Deaths

DENVER (AP) - Attorneys say a California company could enter a plea deal in the deaths of five workers at a Georgetown-area power plant in 2007.

The Denver Post reported Thursday that RPI Coating Inc. is expected to plead guilty to five misdemeanor counts of workplace safety violations.

The RPI workers died after a fire broke out inside a large pipeline at Xcel Energy's Cabin Creek hydroelectric plant. The men were inside the pipeline resealing it at the time.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jaime Pena said at a Wednesday hearing that a plea deal has not been finalized - but that RPI could agree to pay compensation to the victims' survivors.

An RPI attorney said he hoped a deal can be reached by Christmas.

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