California utilities cut power
Consumer groups contend blackouts protect companies, not people or forests
LOS ANGELES — With devastating wildfires becoming more frequent in California, power companies have found themselves on the defensive. Their equipment has been singled out as a frequent culprit. Now, to reduce the hazard, they are pulling out a rarely used tool: the blackout.
Power for tens of thousands of Northern Californians was cut Sunday as high winds prompted fire alerts in a region hit hard by fires a year ago — including parts of Napa and Sonoma counties, the state’s leading wine area.
The action was taken by Pacific Gas and Electric, whose territory covers most of central and Northern California. PG&E and Southern California Edison warned tens of thousands of others that they, too, could face imminent blackouts.
Officials said they were acting purely for safety reasons. “We’ve always had this as a tool,” said Phil Herrington, senior vice president for transmission and distribution at Southern California Edison. “Based on our experience, based on our view, the wildfire threat is increasing.”
But liability for wildfires has
been an increasing concern for the companies and their investors — and consumer groups questioned whether the blackouts were an overstep meant to insulate the utilities.
Mindy Spatt, a spokeswoman for the Utility Reform Network, which represents consumers before California regulators, said her organization worried about the companies’ broad authority to cut people’s power.
“It’s always scary to consumers to trust them with a such a life-and-death issue,” Spatt said.
State law allows the utilities to cut power to customers whenever there is a risk to public safety. The utilities said that before imposing a blackout, they assess wind speeds, temperature, humidity and other factors. They also work with emergency personnel and other state authorities when deciding
to disrupt service.
Bill Powers, a San Diego engineer who serves as an expert witness on behalf of consumers across the nation, said he was concerned about the utilities’ use of the rolling blackouts.
Powers noted in a report for the Sierra Club in March that use of the policy limited utility liability while leaving customers vulnerable to losing critical lifesupport systems.