On Wed, 25 Dec 2019 at 20:29, Michael Thomas <mike@mtcc.com> wrote:

On 12/25/19 6:16 PM, Michael Loftis wrote:

Having lived through the blackouts that was entirely different. 90% Enron manipulating the markets. There was plenty of capacity both in transmission and generation, but Enron manipulated prices and apparent supply to make money and screwed the whole state over. There was just about 2x the generating capacity, no real shortage.

This time it’s PG&E all alone, but still fallout from back then. Too much liability and they’ve not maintained the infrastructure and so they decided that to reduce the liability costs it’s cheaper to blackout. Same story again different colors. PG&E making a mint while people get screwed (PG&E was mostly at the getting screwed end in 2000-2001)

Yes, this is exactly right. My point here isn't to assign blame, but to ask what the hell we're going to do about it. Trying to score political points is disgusting.

Mike

The same thing we've always done and recommended — Vote With Your Wallet. Move to state that takes care of its infrastructure and doesn't have such a gridlock. Or remain in California if you think "climate deniers" (whatever that term may mean) are "disgusting".

As a consumer and internet infrastructure operator, I don't particularly see or care about the difference between PG&E getting screwed or doing the screwing. It's the populace of the state that gets the resulting fallout in terms of the rolling blackouts. Which other state has had this in the last 20 years?

I'm an ex-California resident myself here — voted with my wallet already. Love the idea and implementation of an independent power grid of my new home state.