4 ms·

You're buying PG&E's lies. Hydro Quebec serves a far, far tinier population than California, and has equal fire hazard, if not more, and far more untamed natur

by b112 3y ago

You're buying PG&E's lies. Hydro Quebec serves a far, far tinier population than California, and has equal fire hazard, if not more, and far more untamed nature than California. Yet Hydro Quebec doesn't have PG&E's issues, and delivers the least expensive power in North America. There are reasons for the lower costs, but my point is, they maintain their lines. They cut back brush. They deal with encroachment. The problem is PG&E does not perform the maintenance they need to. All complaints by PG&E "oh, that's so hard to do, poor us!" is just wavy hand stuff, lies, and bull. From what I've read, they just see trimming back brush and trees as "cost", and barely do it as a cost saving measure. Don't buy their bull! The problem is 100% them. Other power suppliers do not have this problem!

happytiger 3y ago
Roseville power and SMUD, that operate right next to PGE and deliver power at a fraction the price, kinda prove you are right.
s0rce 3y ago
I suspect there is a lot correct about what you are saying, PGE sucks. Hydro-Quebec is a crown corporation returning profits to the government unlike privatized PGE. However, the cost of generation is separate, Quebec has tons of hydro power and PGE doesn't generate power. It seems that numerous remote communities are diesel powered, I know this is the case in the far north (https://www.canada.ca/en/natural-resources-canada/news/2023/11/government-of-canada-announces-10-indigenous-communities-advancing-clean-energy-solutions.html https://www.canada.ca/en/natural-resources-canada/news/2023/...). Are there any communities in California not connected to the grid even in the very remote areas? I suspect the cost of electricity and everything in these communities is very high and also subsidized. A few other questions I'm wondering is how much of the rural infrastructure in Quebec relies on the connections to the various (remote) hydropower projects (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Quebec_Map_with_Hydro-Qu%C3%A9bec_infrastructures-en.png https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Quebec_M...). Are communities very far from those connections also served. I can't find a map of actual communities connected to the electric grid. Interestingly California has over 95% of the population living in urban areas compared to 70-80% in Quebec, not really sure which that would favor. Yes, PGE sucks. However, I still think my argument stands that the infrastructure could be much cheaper if the 95% of people living in urban California weren't paying for the rural infrastructure regardless of the nature of tree trimming costs.

by b112 3y ago

happytiger 3y ago

Roseville power and SMUD, that operate right next to PGE and deliver power at a fraction the price, kinda prove you are right.

s0rce 3y ago

I suspect there is a lot correct about what you are saying, PGE sucks. Hydro-Quebec is a crown corporation returning profits to the government unlike privatized PGE. However, the cost of generation is separate, Quebec has tons of hydro power and PGE doesn't generate power. It seems that numerous remote communities are diesel powered, I know this is the case in the far north (https://www.canada.ca/en/natural-resources-canada/news/2023/11/government-of-canada-announces-10-indigenous-communities-advancing-clean-energy-solutions.html https://www.canada.ca/en/natural-resources-canada/news/2023/...). Are there any communities in California not connected to the grid even in the very remote areas? I suspect the cost of electricity and everything in these communities is very high and also subsidized. A few other questions I'm wondering is how much of the rural infrastructure in Quebec relies on the connections to the various (remote) hydropower projects (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Quebec_Map_with_Hydro-Qu%C3%A9bec_infrastructures-en.png https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/Quebec_M...). Are communities very far from those connections also served. I can't find a map of actual communities connected to the electric grid. Interestingly California has over 95% of the population living in urban areas compared to 70-80% in Quebec, not really sure which that would favor. Yes, PGE sucks. However, I still think my argument stands that the infrastructure could be much cheaper if the 95% of people living in urban California weren't paying for the rural infrastructure regardless of the nature of tree trimming costs.