It’s true that the lights can go off at any time due to a storm. This happens to all of us at some point in our lives. But this feels different. It usually happens because of a natural disaster, like a snow or thunderstorm. This is primarily an unnatural disaster, a disaster of neglected maintenance of power lines owned by PG&E. It feels like the company doesn’t want to be blamed for another tragedy, so it’s just shutting the whole thing down. It also feels like the company doesn’t realize that real people are trying to live here—that this is not a solution, but another version of the problem.
Wednesday, October 09, 2019
CA Blackout: "Another version of the problem"
An article in Slate by April Glaser, a Californian, gives a good picture of the blackout situation in California and failures of the power company, PG&E.
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2 comments:
It is shocking what America let's corporations get away with. A blackout?!?
"It also feels like the company doesn’t realize that real people are trying to live here"
A company is not a human, it does not have feelings. It is a tool to make money. Apparently selling a bit less power costs less than the damages they would have to pay in case of a fire.
If you want companies to behave, you have to regulate them.
I couldn't agree more, Victor. But it's just not the American way. President Coolidge famously said "The business of America is business."
I can easily understand how, from afar, the US must look somewhat demented.
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