Gov. Newsom demands PG&E accountability for public safety power shutoffs; asks CPUC for inquiry

In the wake of utility-directed power shutoffs that impacted nearly two million Californians in 24 counties last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday demanded that Pacific Gas and Electric be held accountable.

Last week, during the two-day shutoff, which began on Wednesday, the governor had criticized the utility for the shutoff, as Lake County News has reported.

PG&E President and CEO Bill Johnson has insisted that the shutoff was necessary due to a wind event that occurred over much of Northern and Central California.

This week, the governor is urging PG&E to provide affected customers an automatic credit or rebate of $100 per residential customer and $250 per small business as some compensation for their hardships.

Gov. Newsom also sent a letter to California Public Utilities Commission President Marybel Batjer confirming that the commission will be conducting a comprehensive inquiry and review of PG&E’s planning, implementation and decision-making process failures.

“Californians should not pay the price for decades of PG&E’s greed and neglect,” said Gov. Newsom. “PG&E’s mismanagement of the power shutoffs experienced last week was unacceptable. We will continue to hold PG&E accountable to make radical changes – prioritizing the safety of Californians and modernizing its equipment.”

In July, the Governor signed AB 1054, which established new requirements for PG&E to improve safety and address decades of mismanagement.

In his letter to President Batjer, the governor asked the CPUC to increase its scrutiny of PG&E’s progress on long overdue actions required under AB 1054 to make its infrastructure resilient to wildfires to avoid public safety power shutoff events.

Read the full letters to CPUC President Batjer and to PG&E CEO Bill Johnson below.

10.14.19-CPUC-Letter by LakeCoNews on Scribd

10.14.19-PGE-letter by LakeCoNews on Scribd