[TrucksNCoffee]

I find it very disturbing, that an American electrical utility cannot find a way to avoid the possibility of electrical-caused wildfires other than to create blackouts that affect millions of Americans. I know we here at TA.net express a lot of disdain for California and their draconian liberal laws, but for certain citizens of this great country to be told that the lights are going dark, 'cause their power company couldn't figure a way to fix their power distribution problems is something I thought I would never see.

PG&E's only fix is to turn the power off??!! Whatever happened to rolling up your sleeves and getting the job done? This is the United States of America, for crying out loud! Make it happen!

https://www.foxnews.com/us/pge-star...-off-risk-of-wildfires-amid-severe-wind-event

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...power-restored-some-still-in-dark/3927858002/



Note: I started this thread in the Lounge, but if it goes political, that's fine - we'll just move it.

 

[texastaurusguy]

Texas addressed this problem many years ago, going the opposite direction that Kalifornia went, and I've heard absolutely nothing about needing blackouts or brownouts here to deal with electricity shortages. That may not be the case elsewhere, though, and I hope state legislators deal with this issue instead of resorting to Kalifornian-style draconian laws.

 

[MOONDAWG]

How dare you compare a Texan to a Californian! :sarcasm:

 

[Lone Eagle]

The problem with Cali and PG&E is damned if you do, damned if you don't. They won't let PG&E trim/clean the ROW due to environmental regs in CA, but then demonize PG&E when the wind puts a tree into the lines.

 

[Peacemakr40]

I find it very disturbing, that an American electrical utility cannot find a way to avoid the possibility of electrical-caused wildfires other than to create blackouts that affect millions of Americans. I know we here at TA.net express a lot of disdain for California and their draconian liberal laws, but for certain citizens of this great country to be told that the lights are going dark, 'cause their power company couldn't figure a way to fix their power distribution problems is something I thought I would never see.

PG&E's only fix is to turn the power off??!! Whatever happened to rolling up your sleeves and getting the job done? This is the United States of America, for crying out loud! Make it happen!

https://www.foxnews.com/us/pge-star...-off-risk-of-wildfires-amid-severe-wind-event

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...power-restored-some-still-in-dark/3927858002/



Note: I started this thread in the Lounge, but if it goes political, that's fine - we'll just move it.

The problem isn't with the state of California remarkably enough. This one falls squarely on PG&E. They've had DECADES to properly maintain their lines and equipment but it was "too expensive". I imagine the board members going to prison for 20 years for countless cases of negligent homicide (and yes, you can make a solid case exactly for that charge) will be a walk in the park for them... THEN you'll have the wrongful death lawsuits. Being it's Cali, I can see that top multiple BILLIONS of dollars they'll seek.
This is like the old Fram oil filter commercials playing out in real time; "You can pay me now or you can pay me later".

 

[jspdrcrmach5]

It has happened here in Texas too because they simply couldn't produce enough power to meet demand, I've experience rolling blackouts and brownouts for as long as two hours.

 

[jtg452]

Blackouts are a common problem in 3rd world countries.

And the Leftists running California are quickly running the 5th biggest economy in the world right into 3rd world status.

 

[Jkoht]

I could be wrong because I don't follow California news or politics, but from what little I've heard it's a California caused problem. The greenies wouldn't let the power company clear power corridors, and then they sued them after the last fire for billions of dollars claiming they had responsibility in the fire. Now PG&E is preemptively turning off power so they don't get sued again and the state is in an uproar about it. Sounds like they're stuck between a rock and a hard place. If you were the one in charge what would you do? Personally I'd let the state burn to the last stick but that's just me.

 

[DeltaBravoKS]

Where is Erin Brokovich when you need her?

 

[GhostHorse]

No one needs Erin Brokovich.

Years ago, Californians voted down a nuclear plant that was almost ready to go on line. Enjoy your blackouts.

 

[rhugg]

Didn't CAL have a Governor Brown-Out? They don't want energy created in California ... except for solar but they still want to use massive amounts at low price. Pollute the other states but send us the power? The policies are bad but don't be surprised if the Utilities are playing some also.

Generally it is liberal policy to tell everyone what is right but not setting an example. I appreciate they are idealistic but gravity and supply and demand still apply to them.

 

[Rickenbacher39]

California looks better in the dark.

 

[ICUKev]

The real problem is most electrical companies don't have competition so you're at their mercy on what they will/won't do with the power. Where I live, the power lines are underground to keep issues like that down right? Nope! Where the lines are above ground have issues, they shut off the link to my area till it's fixed?? There's nothing like having an outage in my neighborhood then look out front door and see other side of subdivision all lit up! Looking into gas powered generator from gas company. That way it will kick on when electric company is acting an ASS!

 

[bobbojama]

Cali still has access to power generated outside of the state, so lack of available power generation is not the issue at this time. The company that I worked for before retiring has about 30 crews of environmental scientists/biologists/botanists/etc. walking transmission and distribution ROWs documenting threatened and endangered species. PGE and the other power companies cannot clearcut the ROWs due the T&E species mitigation efforts. Outside of Cali, the power companies spray roundup in the ROWs and brush hog any trees and bushes .. Cali Companies have to selectively cut and trim to avoid environmental damage, it takes crews about 3 days to do a mile of ROW as compared to 20 miles a day for non-Cali ROWs... Vegetation is the major issue at this time, plus some unknown worms, bugs and birds. The State has caused this issue NOT the power companies...

 

[Desperado]

Kalifornia self inflicted their own suffering in this situation.
Bobbojama nailed it with his post on what has to be done in that state to clear a power line.
Sadly, the people of Kalifornia will blame anyone but themselves for this problem.

 

[CJS3]

 

[kschilk]

It's gettin' that way here. They used to keep all the ROWs moved and the trees and brush cut back but anymore, they don't touch anything until a line comes down. Even then, they only cut up the offending tree or limb and nothing else, no PM whatsoever. There are several lines around here with 6-10" diameter trees laying on them and they won't touch 'em, not until that line comes down.

 

[jtg452]

Not only do the rights of way get overgrown but the surrounding country is overgrown, too. Just saying the words, 'prescribed burn,' (off season, controlled use of small fires to clear underbrush to lessen the chances of a fire during the season) near a Californian environmental nut and they go into fits and seizures. The choking underbrush is just kindling for the big crown fires that cut a swath through CA.

 

[jtg452]

Rampant disease is also part of the 3rd world status I was talking about.

LA has had typhus outbreaks in the homeless community and along Skid Row. Typhus in a modern American city.

Epidemiologists are also afraid of a Y. Pestus (aka The Plague, The Black Death, the stuff that killed a quarter of Europe in the early Renaissance) outbreak because of the huge rat population.

Heaven only knows what's brewing in the streets of San Francisco where there's more human waste in the streets than there was in Dark Age London.

 

[Ickthus]

Black outs? That's just the tip of the iceberg for those dope smoking tree huggers. Their "progressive" life style and policies will black them out alright. Oil is black. It comes from decaded plant and amimls. It's why they call it fossil fuel. They are the new dinosaurs as they do not possess what it takes to survive on this planet.