by Katy Grimes
As Appearing in the California Globe
Described as another legislative ‘dog and pony show’
The CEO’s and COO’s of the California’s largest utilities came together Monday in a hearing by the California Senate Energy and Utilities Committee over the shutting off of power for millions of people in an attempt to prevent wildfires during typical California high winds.
The hearing was described by several people attending as a dog and pony show.
Missing from most of the questioning by Senators was the responsibility and accountability of the California Public utilities Commission, which is entirely responsible for the oversight and regulation of California’s utilities.
There was much climate change posturing by Senators, including the opening statement by Committee Chairman Sen. Ben Hueso (D-San Diego), when he said “we see extreme weather affecting our state,” despite that the handout by his own committee called high winds as “typical.”
The Committee fact sheet and timeline said, “California’s electric utilities have sought and been authorized to proactively shutoff power as a tool to reduce igniting wildfires.”
