PGE considering cutting off power in Northern California later this week due to fire hazard (Napa: gated, cost)

[BlakeJones]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

Excuse me? In what ways were the fires “going to get ignited anyways”?

Don't play dumb, in extreme drought conditions with the strong directional winds any small spark will cause a runaway fire. In any other universe a branch impacting a transmission line would be considered an act of God, but not in California! So now you have this mess with PG&E and it's only going to get worse

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by BlakeJones

Don't play dumb, in extreme drought conditions with the strong directional winds any small spark will cause a runaway fire

Your attempted logic is a total fail. “Any small spark” did not cause that runaway fire. A spark from PG&E did. Your claim infers there would have been other sparks present. From what sources you don’t offer. There is a tacit and absolute inference in your ‘reasoning’ that other sparks are always occurring. If that were the case there would always be any number of massive fires burning out of control. There aren’t.

[BlakeJones]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

Your attempted logic is a total fail. “Any small spark” did not cause that runaway fire. A spark from PG&E did. Your claim infers there would have been other sparks present. From what sources you don’t offer. There is a tacit and absolute inference in your ‘reasoning’ that other sparks are always occurring. If that were the case there would always be any number of massive fires burning out of control. There aren’t.

Like I said, an act of God anywhere else but California.

Now you live with the consequences

[CrownVic95]

Originally Posted by BlakeJones

Well if you want ridiculous, that's PGE&E having to go bankrupt because some sparks ignited fires that were going to get ignited anyways. All of a sudden in this new world, when the winds kick up they are liable, so they basically have no choice otherwise get sued for more billions.

No choice otherwise? The problem is centered in that mindset.

I don't consider it "new world" to expect a public power utility to put infrastructure in place enabling continuous safe power under all but the most extreme and unusual circumstances. Last week's weather was not even close to extreme or unusual.

I'm not saying I sanction the lawsuits as the best course of action toward establishing a responsible utility. But having dug themselves into a deep hole though decades of neglect, they don't get to choose their punishment. The worst possible choice PG&E has today is to infuriate the public with even more irresponsibility in the name of "Public Safety Power Shutoffs".

If it takes disbanding the company and replacing it with an organization that takes its responsibility seriously, so be it. As this fire season approaches its end, they will have most of a year to change course and justify their continued public trust. They had better use that year wisely.

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by BlakeJones

Like I said, an act of God anywhere else but California.

Now you live with the consequences

What in the world are you talking about? PG&E's equipment was found to be the cause of a number of these fires, that hardly qualifies as an "act of God". Many of them were preventable had appropriate maintenance been conducted by PG&E.

If you are involved in a collision with a driver who knowingly drove his car with the brakes failing would you laugh it off and call that an "act of God" too?

[BlakeJones]

Originally Posted by 2sleepy

What in the world are you talking about? PG&E's equipment was found to be the cause of a number of these fires, that hardly qualifies as an "act of God". Many of them were preventable had appropriate maintenance been conducted by PG&E.

If you are involved in a collision with a driver who knowingly drove his car with the brakes failing would you laugh it off and call that an "act of God" too?

and you think those failures don't happen everywhere else around the country? I have a bridge to sell you. Difference here are the tinderbox conditions and the sue happy California culture where someone is always at fault for your problem

[BlakeJones]

Originally Posted by CrownVic95

If it takes disbanding the company...

almost a foregone conclusion at this point

Originally Posted by CrownVic95

and replacing it with an organization that takes its responsibility seriouslyy.

haha good luck with that, the "organization" is going to be the good taxpaying people of California. No sane business executive is going to assume that dumpster fire

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by BlakeJones

and you think those failures don't happen everywhere else around the country? I have a bridge to sell you. Difference here are the tinderbox conditions and the sue happy California culture where someone is always at fault for your problem

So in other words this is just you, taking a poke at California? I get it now .....

[CrownVic95]

Originally Posted by BlakeJones

almost a foregone conclusion at this point


haha good luck with that, the "organization" is going to be the good taxpaying people of California. No sane business executive is going to assume that dumpster fire

There is a legitimate debate about whether a public power utility should be a "business" anyway. If it comes to that, the "good taxpaying people of California" will agree on the need for continuous, safe power.

[wheelsup]

How much would it cost CA residents to bury lines underground? It would make your already insane kWh costs skyrocket. Be careful what you wish for.