What San Francisco’s blackouts are showing us about PG&E — yet again |
Traffic transits California Street during a power outage in San Francisco on Dec. 20.
San Francisco’s blackout before Christmas was my first since moving to the U.S. five years ago. Growing up in Panaji, India, I was used to seasonal water shortages and power outages. From 2005 to 2008, heavy rain and flooding left many in the state of Goa without potable water. My family was one of them. For months, we relied on government tankers to get through the harsh summers, often marked by four- to five-hour power outages every evening.
We were always prepared. My father, vigilant against waste, managed our mornings with drill-sergeant precision. Each day at 7 a.m., he and my brother readied buckets for the arriving water tank. My job was to run those buckets to the overhead tank. We also checked on elderly and disabled residents to ensure they had enough. Missing the tank meant relying on neighbors’ goodwill, which never failed.
We lived measured lives, using no more than a single bucket per shower. Every day was a race to finish chores before the 4 p.m. power outage. This routine defined our resilience.
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In contrast, San Francisco’s blackout didn’t just bring inconvenience; it revealed the city’s lack of crisis preparedness and exposed the consequences of relying on a monopolistic utility.
Like most families, my husband and I finished holiday grocery shopping early. When the power failed at noon on Dec. 20, I didn’t expect it to last three days. At first, I actually liked the quiet: the two of us, with a flashlight, playing Connect Four and talking for hours.
With little else to do, we took a walk down Market Street. San Francisco was striking in the dark: no streetlights, Waymos........