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Comment by rachelbythebay | Hacker News Reader

Welcome to the new dark ages, courtesy of our PG&E overlords.

I noticed that in the list of counties, SF isn't there. That's fascinating. Is that because they're SFPUC? But doesn't SFPUC get power by way of PG&E transmission lines? Do they have their own generation and/or transmission capacity to survive?

Also, what about Santa Clara (the city, not the county)? They have their own electric utility too. Do THEY have enough capacity to do their own thing?

It's gonna be stuff like this that'll kickstart the next recession. Just break the back of the valley's economy and the rest will take care of itself.

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I noticed that in the list of counties, SF isn't there. That's fascinating. Is that because they're SFPUC?

Most likely San Francisco doesn't have the sorts of transmission lines PG&E is worried about. A fair chunk of the power lines in SF are underground, and there aren't that many places in SF with tons of fuel where you're going to see hot, dry, windy weather like you would in rural Napa or Contra Costa.

Well, that power has to come from somewhere, and it’s not from within SF.

Well, that power has to come from somewhere, and it’s not from within SF.

Up until 2006 there was indeed a power plant in southeast SF. More importantly getting power from elsewhere doesn't necessarily mean creating the kinds of situations PG&E is trying to avoid by creating lengthy blackouts.

The electricity still has to be generated somewhere. That somewhere is usually quite far away (nuclear, hydroelectric, wind, coal/oil/natural gas powered facility). The generated energy now needs to be transmitted (via transmission lines across the country side) and distributed (via substations)[0].

GP's main remark was how are these major metropolitan areas generating the electricity they are distributing? Is generation near the city, or is PG&E shying away from turning off power for thousands of business and millions of users for political reasons.

[0] A great video about electricity generation, transmission, and distribution (and subsequent in-depth videos of each step) can be found here: https://youtu.be/v1BMWczn7JM

GP's main remark was how are these major metropolitan areas generating the electricity they are distributing?

Fossil fuels. There's a plant in Antioch and there was, up until about a decade ago, a plant in BVHP.

Is generation near the city, or is PG&E shying away from turning off power for thousands of business and millions of users for political reasons.

Oh give me a break. No, San Francisco is not being spared because it has political clout. San Francisco doesn't have the same combination of environment and poorly maintained above ground high energy transmission lines that PG&E is worried about.

They are worried about downed power lines causing fires...SF being urban does not really need to worry about downed power lines causing a forest fire within the city

"The shutoff, potentially lasting from Wednesday morning until Thursday afternoon, is meant to target fire-prone areas only"

> Welcome to the new dark ages, courtesy of our PG&E overlords.

It sounds like PG&E are universally unpopular, but don't forget the contribution we have made to this.

Welcome to the carbon consequences world, courtesy of mankind. Strap in, it's going to get worse from here.

> SF isn't there.

i'd guess SF wanting to buy its piece of PG&E has some role here https://www.kqed.org/news/11773007/san-francisco-offers-to-b...

naturally a power shut-off would drive support across the board for the deal, incl. the bond, etc.

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