So, northern California is experiencing a #poweroutage right now due to the #pgeshutoff . They gave 800,000 households/ businesses one day notice. The power outage "may last" up to five days.
This is a monopolistic company that has the power to basically do whatever they want. The CEO is the highest paid government worker in the US. sacbee.com/news/politics-…
This is in lieu of the disaster last year during dry season where PG&E's lack of maintenance caused a fire that destroyed an entire town and took lives.
nytimes.com/2019/05/15/bus…
nytimes.com/2019/05/15/bus…
They got sued, but because there is no control over PGE, they were able to pass that problem off to their customers. Everyone's electrical bill went up this year.
PGE is preemptively turning off the power for likely over 1 million humans because they're expecting dry winds over the foothills that can cause fire. They say it could take up to five days to clean off the power cables of fire-starting debris.
Thousands of people probably didn't check the news yesterday about the shut-off and are being faced today with issues. Local gas stations and grocery stores of course have long lines and may run out of non perishables (since they too had no time to stock up).
Low income folks who rely on government aid may have no means of getting food, especially if they already purchased what they could and are forced to throw away spoiled items from a fridge with no power. (Fridges keep food cool for hours, not days without power).
Medical equipment, life saving electrical necessities, and more may be shut off. If a person has a disability or mobility issues, they may not be able to relocate.
PGE is setting up resource centers in some cities for folks that need them. They include water, charging for power, and restrooms (actually portapotties). There is nothing set up for folks that need overnight use due to medical necessity.
You'll notice that the power shut off affects predominantly neighborhoods, not cities. San Francisco isn't affected at all. The wealthiest neighborhoods don't seem to have shut offs, and the wealthy businesses get to stay open.
projects.sfchronicle.com/trackers/power…
projects.sfchronicle.com/trackers/power…
Basically, the people who can afford generators don't need to use them. (I'm generalizing, don't @ me.)
I've been in a five day power outage due to a blizzard in Missouri and prepped for one due to a hurricane when I lived in Virginia. I'm aware that when there is a natural disaster, you generally get a few days notice, not one. Tornados and fires ofc, less notice.
I'm also aware that shutting off power to entire swaths of a million people could be like a horror movie.
Robberies. Alarms won't work. 911 may be overrun with calls and local forces will likely be directing traffic since signals will be flashing.
Robberies. Alarms won't work. 911 may be overrun with calls and local forces will likely be directing traffic since signals will be flashing.
Northern California has limited to no underground electricity cabling which baffles me. I've been to, and lived in, other states where this is the norm. Underground cabling wouldn't be damaged by a fallen tree branch.
Yeah, lol. Nevermind. They probably shouldn't have underground cabling. How do gas lines work then? 🤔
Anyways, I'm kinda irked at people online who are all "lol! California Dems!" And have zero empathy for people who are in harsher situations than they.
I'm more enraged at PG&E for their shitty handling of fire seasons, getting sued, and punishing customers.
I'm more enraged at PG&E for their shitty handling of fire seasons, getting sued, and punishing customers.
Fires in California are getting worse due to the climate, so it's likely that this won't be the first time out capitalist monopolistic power company turns off the power. I have a go bag for events such as this, so I'm fine. Others aren't. vice.com/en_us/article/…
