It sounds like we will be losing power for a few days

The treatment of SC consumers by SCE&G in combination with our State Utilities was also far less than honorable. Consumers were forced to pay "up front" for the building of a nuclear power plant that never materialized. A surcharge of about 15% was added to our bills for years. The design and buildout of the power plant was technically unworkable, those executives knew it and kept it a secret for as long as they could . Our ineffective State Utilities group either covered for them or were too dumb to ever figure out that the power plant that we had all been paying for would never come on line. The executives gave themselves big fat bonuses and beat feet out of state just before it all collapsed.
Now we have Dominion Energy from Virginia and they are promising to get it right, Initially, all the consumers were told that we would get $1000 back as part of a settlement. A few weeks ago I cashed my check for $28.
And nobody went to jail! Are there any honorable utilities left in this country? Are there any competent state utilities commissions left?
 

From the SF Chronicle, August 27, 2019:
"Factors PG&E considers when determining whether a shutoff is necessary include the presence of a red flag fire-danger warning from the National Weather Service, humidity levels 20% and below and a forecast of sustained winds above 25 mph with gusts of more than 45 mph."

If my local power company determines that the safest course is a shutdown in certain areas during a Santa Ana heat/wind condition, I'll bear up and figure it out.

The wicked conflagrations Santa Anas can whip up in a very few minutes are hard to imagine if you haven't witnessed them - and they can happen almost anywhere in California. Hurricanes periodically decimate the Eastern Seaboard and Gulf Coast, tornadoes flatten communities located in "tornado alley," and massive flooding destroys towns in various states when rivers overflow their banks.

We need to learn from our mistakes. Seems to me that's what PG & E is doing with these shut downs. Why are we vilifying them?
 
There’s much more to the story on PG&E that is currently being discussed on this site. Their intentions are not honorable. They have run out of money and now they’re forced to turn the power off due to irresponsible and dishonorable behavior from the government and the electric company. The people still need power and the responsible entities should quickly work towards a solution together without depriving the population of an essential need for living. That is the end of my discussion on this issue.
Looking at their financial report, they aren’t broke. Their stock has taken a big hit due to all the charges that they had to take due to the wildfires they have had to pay for. Their stock may be a good buy for the the long haul.
 

The treatment of SC consumers by SCE&G in combination with our State Utilities was also far less than honorable. Consumers were forced to pay "up front" for the building of a nuclear power plant that never materialized. A surcharge of about 15% was added to our bills for years. The design and buildout of the power plant was technically unworkable, those executives knew it and kept it a secret for as long as they could . Our ineffective State Utilities group either covered for them or were too dumb to ever figure out that the power plant that we had all been paying for would never come on line. The executives gave themselves big fat bonuses and beat feet out of state just before it all collapsed.
Now we have Dominion Energy from Virginia and they are promising to get it right, Initially, all the consumers were told that we would get $1000 back as part of a settlement. A few weeks ago I cashed my check for $28.
And nobody went to jail! Are there any honorable utilities left in this country? Are there any competent state utilities commissions left?
Until there’s accountability there will be a criminal behavior
 
Looking at their financial report, they aren’t broke. Their stock has taken a big hit due to all the charges that they had to take due to the wildfires they have had to pay for. Their stock may be a good buy for the the long haul.
They are bankrupt and in my opinion are using this status for leverage.
 
Yes, there are now home designs that are highly fire-resistant. However, one recent study showed that the additional cost for doing so would almost double the cost of the house. Not many people burned out would be able to come up with that kind of additional funding out of their own pockets. I would think it's difficult if not impossible to obtain fire insurance for more than the appraised value of the house! This is especially true in CA, where the land is worth 95+% of the total price.


Recent research is promising about the affordability of wildfire resistant building including the 2019 Business Insider article linked above.

From the article:
A recent study found that homes with fire-resistant materials can be built for about the same amount as traditional properties. While fire-resistant gutters and vents can be more expensive, their price is offset by fiber cement, which is cheaper than wood siding.​
 
So you’re saying that all companies that are traded on the New York Stock Exchange have to be solvent? Where is that written?
No, I was asking the question. All you needed to say was that they are in Chapter 11 and that would have been fine. I was thinking that they were insolvent.
 
Best luck Mrs. R. I hope you and the pets get through this okay. It sounds like a nightmare. There was a gas explosion last fall in MA and people were without power for weeks! During the cold weather and the holidays too. Trust me, you don't want to be without heat up here anytime after October. It's really best to get your own generator if you need think you might ever need one.
 
You said it much better than I could,Lethe200. Were you living in Oakland during the Oakland Hills fire? It was so horrific! We still lived in the Bay Area back then-it was 2 months after that that we moved to Lake County. We lived on the other side of the Bay then,in Woodside,in a neighborhood that was almost identical to the Oakland Hills. Very narrow roads and many that a fire truck would never be able to navigate. Sure made us think.
 
They called it a down burst, but when trees , lines are on the ground, with the poles all laying in one direction. We were without power for 32 days. I know I counted. Incredibly we lost nothing. I have a 4000 watt generator that will run some lights, fridge and two deep freezes and that is on one circuit. If you cook with electric you will need something larger. I can cook with propane. AC will be a large power user.
I wish you luck and hope it is a very short pause in power.
 
I have a 4000 watt generator that will run some lights, fridge and two deep freezes and that is on one circuit. If you cook with electric you will need something larger. I can cook with propane
4000 watt is plenty
Actually a 3000 watt Honda genny will do the job.
Even pull well water.

Cooking? That's where the propane BBQ comes into play
Even a $200 cheapo works fine. Even for baking.
 
Don't forget to top-up the telephone battery.

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Good luck!
 
`Is the reality of global warming coming home to roost in California? Apparen5tly Ca. has a choice -A. have power and fires; or B. no power and maybe no fires. Next year, it's going to be the same. And the year after that........... Some used to laugh and make jokes about Ca.'s "tree hugger" ideology. There was always tomorrow, when that global warming nonsense could finally be proven foolish. "Tomorrow" is today. Unless Ca. wants to shut the power off any time the wind is above 10 miles an hour, they will have to bury the power lines, which will cost a fortune. Is this the first time global warming becomes the truly dark reality , as predicted?
 
Tonight on our local news (Houston), they were talking about the Northern California power shutdown. ... It started today for several countries there. With so much heat and the windy conditions, it must be a nightmare to be living.

So when they turn the power back on in 5 days, how will things be any different?
 
What i don't get is,.......... there are other ways that could prevent/reduce the chance of fires..........Why not secure the power lines with static cables? clear the brush/foliage that might light off in the case of sparks........are they afraid of disturbing some obscure animal? ...... :rolleyes: Been known to be a consideration.

As per the news report,.....the residents are more than upset.
 
What i don't get is,.......... there are other ways that could prevent/reduce the chance of fires..........Why not secure the power lines with static cables? clear the brush/foliage that might light off in the case of sparks........are they afraid of disturbing some obscure animal? ...... :rolleyes: Been known to be a consideration.

As per the news report,.....the residents are more than upset.
My in-laws live there and we can’t get a hold of them
 
I have a small Honda generator that runs 8 hours on a gallon of gas, it’s very quiet. It will run a small fridge when needed and a few lights, fans, a small electric heater, or microwave. I have a panel in the wall so I don’t have to run a cord under a door or window. I admit we no longer keep much food in our fridge or freezer. We have canned and dry goods. After Hugo and ten days with no power I learned my lesson.
 
What i don't get is,.......... there are other ways that could prevent/reduce the chance of fires..........Why not secure the power lines with static cables? clear the brush/foliage that might light off in the case of sparks........are they afraid of disturbing some obscure animal? ...... :rolleyes: Been known to be a consideration.

As per the news report,.....the residents are more than upset.
May I ask you the name of the newspaper? I have been unable to contact my in-laws who live in that area and that info could help me help them. Thanks
 
On the plus side...sales of generators and stock in companies like Generac are going through the roof. If the power grid in California is so neglected that they have to shut off electricity for fear of wind damage, PG&E has obviously been neglecting "common sense" maintenance for a long time. Around here, the local power company routinely inspects the line for trees growing too near the power lines, and trims those trees accordingly...at No charge to the property owners.
 
The only way that power lines can cause fire is if they
get damaged and touch when on the ground and still
live, which shouldn't happen.

As soon as there is an interuption, the switch drops out
and all that is left is static.

If a transformer explodes, then that is a different factor,
but again the switch should drop out.

I am not familiar with American power systems, all I know
is that you have 110 volts.

Mike.
 

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