4 ms·

PG&E is a public menace.

by _jal 6y ago

dwighttk 6y ago
California’s relationship with PG&E is perfectly designed to get these results, No?
umvi 6y ago
I would wager a lot of power companies run their equipment to failure. Anecdata, but Pepco in Maryland burned me once. When we first moved into our house motor loads (vacuum, disposal, etc.) caused all the lights in the house to dim. We called an electrician and he said the problem was the transformer in the green box outside our house and to call Pepco to fix it. We did and Pepco dragged their feet forever. Weeks later they said they inspected it and it was fine. Fast forward 2 years when our house has a massive power surge which fries 2 computers (just the PSUs) and bursts some bulbs. We call an electrician and he says the transformer outside failed and to call Pepco. We did and Pepco had someone out in, no joke, in 20 minutes to fix it. As a nice side effect, motor loads no longer cause the lights to dim. We filed a claim with Pepco for damages, citing the previous incident 2 years ago as evidence they knew the transformer was failing but they denied the claim with no explanation.
- mjevans 6y ago
  Unfortunately, you'll probably have to talk to a lawyer and maybe go to court to get damages...
- DanBC 6y ago
  > We filed a claim with Pepco for damages, citing the previous incident 2 years ago as evidence they knew the transformer was failing but they denied the claim with no explanation. I don't know how it works in the US but in the UK you'd put in a claim with your insurance company, and tell them that you'd told Pepco about the problem sometime ago and Pepco hadn't fixed it. Your insurance company has lots of lawyers and knows how to extract money from power companies.
ironmagma 6y ago
Despite all the effort that went into investigating the cause of this fire, remember that someone started an even bigger fire this year by doing a gender reveal party. So it really is irrelevant how careful everyone is; something will set everything ablaze eventually.
tick_tock_tick 6y ago
PG&E being a "private company" is a useful fiction so the state of California doesn't get blamed.

PG&E is a public menace.

by _jal 6y ago

PG&E is a public menace.

dwighttk 6y ago

California’s relationship with PG&E is perfectly designed to get these results, No?

umvi 6y ago

I would wager a lot of power companies run their equipment to failure. Anecdata, but Pepco in Maryland burned me once. When we first moved into our house motor loads (vacuum, disposal, etc.) caused all the lights in the house to dim. We called an electrician and he said the problem was the transformer in the green box outside our house and to call Pepco to fix it. We did and Pepco dragged their feet forever. Weeks later they said they inspected it and it was fine. Fast forward 2 years when our house has a massive power surge which fries 2 computers (just the PSUs) and bursts some bulbs. We call an electrician and he says the transformer outside failed and to call Pepco. We did and Pepco had someone out in, no joke, in 20 minutes to fix it. As a nice side effect, motor loads no longer cause the lights to dim. We filed a claim with Pepco for damages, citing the previous incident 2 years ago as evidence they knew the transformer was failing but they denied the claim with no explanation.

mjevans 6y ago
Unfortunately, you'll probably have to talk to a lawyer and maybe go to court to get damages...
DanBC 6y ago
> We filed a claim with Pepco for damages, citing the previous incident 2 years ago as evidence they knew the transformer was failing but they denied the claim with no explanation. I don't know how it works in the US but in the UK you'd put in a claim with your insurance company, and tell them that you'd told Pepco about the problem sometime ago and Pepco hadn't fixed it. Your insurance company has lots of lawyers and knows how to extract money from power companies.

ironmagma 6y ago

Despite all the effort that went into investigating the cause of this fire, remember that someone started an even bigger fire this year by doing a gender reveal party. So it really is irrelevant how careful everyone is; something will set everything ablaze eventually.

tick_tock_tick 6y ago

PG&E being a "private company" is a useful fiction so the state of California doesn't get blamed.