California burning : the fall of Pacific Gas and Electric--and what it means for America's power grid / Katherine Blunt.

California burning : the fall of Pacific Gas and Electric--and what it means for America's power grid / Katherine Blunt.

New York : Portfolio/Penguin, [2022]

1 online resource (xiv, 350 pages)

"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.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on online resource; title from digital title page (viewed on January 18, 2023).

Print version: Blunt, Katherine. California burning [New York] : Portfolio/Penguin, [2022]

English

9780593330661 (electronic book)
0593330668 (electronic book)
9780593330654 (hardcover)
059333065X (hardcover)

Monographs & Serials
Electronic Resources