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Santa Ana brings hot winds and fire hazards ... from SDG&E.

Posted September 19th, 2009 by Charles Langley

UCAN News

 When Sempra Talks, Hot Air Walks
 Mount San Miguel burning at night
"Whether the utility can turn off power
proactively before a fire were to begin,
based upon the fear of factors that could
lead to a fire, is not legally clear" 

- Michael Shames, Executive Director of UCAN

On September 15, Voice of San Diego reported on SDG&E's ongoing efforts to avoid any kind of responsibilty for its faulty powerlines. The utility's defective powerlines started the Rice and Witch Creek fires in 2007, and are expected to start more unless they are prepared.

Reporter Keegan Kyle writes about merciless Santa Ana winds roaring through backcountry, turning "the backcountry's brush into fields of matchsticks."  What the story's colorful prose doesn't quite convey is the fact that SDG&E wants to shut off electricity when the risk of fire is at its absolute zenith. In fact, you could argue that it isn't the backcountry brush that resembles a matchstick, rather it is SDG&E's poorly maintained utility poles.

SDG&E wants to blame the fires on Santa Ana, and avoid taking responsibility for starting some of the worst fires in California history.  This is about SDG&E cutting power to people at the very moment they need it the most in an attempt to avoid legal liability. This isn't about safety or serving the ratepayers. It is about making money. All of the other reasons cited by SDG&E, are, well, just a lot of hot wind.

Get the full story at Voice of San Diego 

* This isn't an ordinary copyright. Attribution.  Learn more about alternative copyrights ( Creative Commons ) at UCAN's New Media Rights.

Filed Under
Tags: SDG&E - Sempra - fire - liability - back country - firestorm -

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