SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) says your bill will drop by 75% this month after a huge winter spike.
What goes up doesn't always come down, but PG&E says it will happen this month. As market prices for natural gas drop, PG&E says utility bills will drop too -- by an average of 75% -- a relief to customers still reeling from winter bills.
only time I was there was in 1981. my mom wanted to go out and keep a eye on my dad as it was his twin brother that died. seem like a nice place back then. but it was a bit crowded I thought. and there was what looked like rivers pf concrete roads going all over the place. I still have a couple of kin back there, but most of them left by 1990. or the older ones did. we went up to san fran too for a day. I didn't leave anything there and there no reason to go anywhere near that place now.
I just “worked” storm for six days in California. Myself and four other guys on my crew drove two days out there. Then we sat around half a day waiting for orders from PG&E. We got orders, picked up a pole and some material, and drove to the site. Broken power pole; single service to one home. Normally this would take 1-2 hours to set the new pole, rehang the conductor, and reconnect it to the transformer across the road. We had to have the traffic control guys out since we would occupy a lane with our trucks. Alas, this is California. The pole was next to a creek, so PG&E’s environmental lady had to come out. She did a bunch of liberal arts voodoo and told us to set the new pole across the creek (better for us anyway.) That requires a locate; which was unavailable, so we hand-dug a 6’ hole. Then PG&E’s bird dog comes out and says the hole is too far from the road and so it’s not on the easement. So we fill it in. Then we sit around while the easement issue is worked out. He gives us a new location. We prep to dig, and ask that the arborists come out to trim an oak that will be in the span. Environmental lady hears this and freaks. It’s 7pm at this point so we rack up. The next day, more of the same. We eventually get approval to place the new pole and do so. Took us an hour and fifteen to get it done-after the tree guys spent 4 hours carefully pruning the oak. Then we pulled the stub of the old pole…and had to go get “clean river sand” to fill it in. The next day, PG&E sent us home. So two more days on the road, on their dime. All told, between us, the tree crew, their people, the traffic crew, and the locate guys, I’d be willing to bet that PG&E spent $500-750k to replace one pole and get one customer back in service. The things that Californians have voted for over the years have doomed them.
I'm surprised they didn't bring out an archeologist and several representatives of local Indian tribes to make sure you weren't digging on 'sacred lands'.
So, a 100/mo utolity bill goes up 100% to 200/mo. They then brag they are lowering your bill 75%.
ReplyDelete200
x 0.75
--‐---------
150
So they actually RAISED your bill net 50%. Congrats!
Need to up your math skills: 200 - (200 x .75) = 50
Deleteonly time I was there was in 1981. my mom wanted to go out and keep a eye on my dad as it was his twin brother that died. seem like a nice place back then. but it was a bit crowded I thought. and there was what looked like rivers pf concrete roads going all over the place.
ReplyDeleteI still have a couple of kin back there, but most of them left by 1990. or the older ones did.
we went up to san fran too for a day. I didn't leave anything there and there no reason to go anywhere near that place now.
"The state depends on imports for 90% of its natural gas."
ReplyDeleteThis in a state that's literally sitting on some of the richest oil and natural gas reserves in the country.
California sucks.
Nope they are going to turn the power off 3/4 of the month.
ReplyDeleteI just “worked” storm for six days in California. Myself and four other guys on my crew drove two days out there. Then we sat around half a day waiting for orders from PG&E. We got orders, picked up a pole and some material, and drove to the site. Broken power pole; single service to one home. Normally this would take 1-2 hours to set the new pole, rehang the conductor, and reconnect it to the transformer across the road. We had to have the traffic control guys out since we would occupy a lane with our trucks.
ReplyDeleteAlas, this is California. The pole was next to a creek, so PG&E’s environmental lady had to come out. She did a bunch of liberal arts voodoo and told us to set the new pole across the creek (better for us anyway.) That requires a locate; which was unavailable, so we hand-dug a 6’ hole. Then PG&E’s bird dog comes out and says the hole is too far from the road and so it’s not on the easement. So we fill it in. Then we sit around while the easement issue is worked out. He gives us a new location. We prep to dig, and ask that the arborists come out to trim an oak that will be in the span. Environmental lady hears this and freaks. It’s 7pm at this point so we rack up.
The next day, more of the same. We eventually get approval to place the new pole and do so. Took us an hour and fifteen to get it done-after the tree guys spent 4 hours carefully pruning the oak. Then we pulled the stub of the old pole…and had to go get “clean river sand” to fill it in.
The next day, PG&E sent us home. So two more days on the road, on their dime.
All told, between us, the tree crew, their people, the traffic crew, and the locate guys, I’d be willing to bet that PG&E spent $500-750k to replace one pole and get one customer back in service.
The things that Californians have voted for over the years have doomed them.
I'm surprised they didn't bring out an archeologist and several representatives of local Indian tribes to make sure you weren't digging on 'sacred lands'.
DeleteThat's a great story. Thanks for that.
DeleteIf you read this, Anonymous, I'd be curious where you're from and if you worked in Nevada County when you came to California.