Editorial: New PG&E wildfire safety strategy requires scrutiny
Source: Mercury News | By Mercury News and East Bay Times Editorial Boards
State regulators must carefully scrutinize PG&E’s wildfire-safety strategy shift.
The giant utility has a long and criminal history of putting profits before safety. And the state has an equally long, ugly history of failing to perform its oversight role. This time regulators must get it right.
The regulators should carefully consider charges leveled by watchdog The Utility Reform Network (TURN), which contends that PG&E continues to avoid cheaper, effective alternative approaches, including insulating power lines in high-risk wildfire areas. TURN executive director Mark Toney says undergrounding power lines is too expensive and takes an inordinately long time to complete. He maintains that Southern California Edison’s and San Diego Gas and Electric’s use of insulated lines is cost-effective and reduces the need to shut off power when tree limbs fall on electric lines
