Apparently, PG&E knew about their faulty power lines for years. In 2013, PG&E workers noticed that one of their lines (the Caribou-Palermo line) sagged considerably and that several trees were encroaching upon it. Work was scheduled to have been completed by February 2016 and cost upwards of $30.3 million, but the project was continuously delayed. Then they were going to start the repair project in 2014. The project never happened. Then they were going to repair the line in 2015. The repairs still didn’t come.
Finally, in 2018, PG&E told federal regulators that their work would begin in June and finish up late in the year. That would-be work also never started and in a matter of months the perpetual putting off would be too late, WSJ previously reported. And on Nov. 8, 2018, “winds picked up before sunrise near Paradise, Calif., when a wire snapped free from the Caribou-Palermo line, creating an electric arc that scorched the metal tower supporting it.” A fire started under the line, and within hours, a fire, the “Camp Fire” ravaged Paradise and killed 85 people.
After the wildfires, PG&E declared bankruptcy to insulate itself from the damages. In announcing their bankruptcy protection scheme, PG&E cited hundreds of civil lawsuits filed by victims from wildfires that occurred in 2017 and 2018. Those lawsuits will now be consolidated into bankruptcy court where victims will likely receive less money than had their legal actions played out in regular state or federal civil courts.
PGE says it could cut power to more than 5 million people when the risk
of wildfires is high. Supposedly the blackouts will happen on Red Flag
Warning days proclaimed by the National Weather Service when the
winds are sustained at 25mph/gusting up to 45mph or higher, humidity below
20% and dry fuel and soil conditions.
The power could be out for up to 5 days.
- PG&E announces wildfire blackout plan
- PG&E tells customers: Prepare for blackouts
- Judge Questions PG&E about California Wildfire
- PG&E Finds Bullet-Riddled Gear Near Wildfire
- PG&E Announces New Wildfire Safety Measures, Support for Camp Fire Victims
- Cal Fire: PG&E Is Responsible For Three Wildfires
- PG&E Cuts Trees to Prevent Wildfires in Magalia
- Judge Proposes Ordering PG&E to Shut off Power for Wildfire
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