[Erik Latranyi]

This was all staged so the socialists could take over another industry.

PG&E is heavily regulated by the California Public Utility Commission.

PG&E was forced to use funds for T&D maintenance for alternative energy programs.

Now that it is collapsing, the socialists blame PG&E.

It will be taken over by the state. Mark my words.

Cuomo is setting up National Grid in New York the same way with natural gas.

[Skywise]

Seems patently obvious to me - and highly unconstitutional

[PGR88]

This was all staged so the socialists could take over another industry.

Indeed it must be. California's wild fires are a yearly event, before modern man arrived to California. Now 3 million people will have their power shut off every year during fire season? Especially since its dubious that power lines are even a main cause of wildfires, and this certainly was never a problem in the last 100 years. How is that a long-term solution? Its not - and as you say - its merely part of a PR campaign.

Next will be the public shaming of a few well-paid PG&E executives.

[outpostinmass2]

I know a guy who is retired in the San Diego area. He told me of all the issues with California and the utility companies. This was 10 years ago and he forecast the impending doom. He liked the California weather and the ocean and decided the only way to stay was to try to go off-grid as much as he could. He went solar and put up a windmill, installed a water well and bought an electric car. He got rid of his cell phone, house phone and cable t.v. He goes to the local library every day to check his email and pay his bills on line. I thought he was a bit extreme at first but after talking to him he laid out all the issues logically and predicted the coming chaos.

[Oldexpat]

The state virtually owns it now. It is worthless and the state will require them to pay billions for safety work. The state and rate payers are the only two possible source of funds.

[dynoman]

Let California nationalize PG&E and see how well they do running it.

[frank ballenger]

socialists taking over power sources....

In Michigan the big electric company DTE has had incredibly cloying ads day and night that the president of the company is really committed to ending climate change, and is dismantling and replacing everything to be non polluting. Wind farms, etc.

He does the ads himself: “The cost of all this would be too great a shock to our customers’ pocketbooks, so we are adding increases gradually to your monthly bills as we change to climate friendly power in Michigan.” All said in a voice that would make Pee Wee Herman punch him.