A letter in today’s Napa Valley Times-Herald:
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An open letter to Gov. Jerry Brown:
As you are probably aware, we are getting robbed blind by a very dishonest (and dangerous) public utility called PG&E.
A critical evaluation would show that they generate only a very small percentage of the power that they “retail.” They buy most of the power off the “grid” at an exorbitant price, and then they mark it way up. Then they ration that power with the “ratchet” to prevent excessive usage.
Not much is done to maintain the systems. As you are aware, that pipeline that “blew up” in South San Francisco was junk.
A solution is to require PG&E to generate a minimum of 90 percent of its power in state, and rates to be set at the average of the three surrounding states. Ratcheting should be abolished. Deferment of maintenance should be punished severely, and a fund should be established.
I also believe that the SmartMeters are designed to offer a means of control power rate of use (demand) to eliminate penalty billing for the power withdrawn from the grid.
C.D. McCarthy
Vallejo