| Description |
xiii, 350 pages ; 24 cm |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 305-340) and index. |
| Summary |
"A revelatory, urgent narrative with national implications, exploring the decline of California's largest utility company that led to countless wildfires - including the one that destroyed the town of Paradise - and the human cost of infrastructure failure Pacific Gas & Electric was a legacy company built by innovators and visionaries, establishing California as a desirable home and economic powerhouse. In California Burning, Wall Street Journal reporter and Pulitzer finalist Katherine Blunt examines how that legacy fell apart-unraveling a long history of deadly failures in which Pacific Gas & Electric endangered millions of Northern Californians, through criminal neglect of its infrastructure. As PG&E prioritized profits and politics, power lines went unchecked-until a rusted hook purchased for 56 cents in 1921 split in two, sparking the deadliest wildfire in California history. Beginning with PG&E's public reckoning after the Paradise fire, Blunt chronicles the evolution of PG&E's shareholder base, from innovators who built some of California's first long-distance power lines to aggressive investors keen on reaping dividends. Following key players through pivotal decisions and legal battles, California Burning reveals the forces that shaped the plight of PG&E: deregulation and market-gaming led by Enron Corp., an unyielding push for renewable energy, and a swift increase in wildfire risk throughout the West, while regulators and lawmakers pushed their own agendas. California Burning is a deeply reported, character-driven narrative, the story of a disaster expanding into a much bigger exploration of accountability. It's an American tragedy that serves as a cautionary tale for utilities across the nation-especially as climate change makes aging infrastructure more vulnerable, with potentially fatal consequences"-- Provided by publisher. |
| Subject |
Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
|
|
Wildfires -- California.
|
|
Electric power distribution -- United States.
|
| ISBN |
9780593330654 (hardcover) |
|
More Resources