California burning: the fall of Pacific Gas and Electric--and what it means for America's power grid
(Book)
Description
"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"--
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Citations
Blunt, K. (2022). California burning: the fall of Pacific Gas and Electric--and what it means for America's power grid. [New York], Portfolio/Penguin.
Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation (style guide)Blunt, Katherine. 2022. California Burning: The Fall of Pacific Gas and Electric--and What It Means for America's Power Grid. [New York], Portfolio/Penguin.
Chicago / Turabian - Humanities Citation (style guide)Blunt, Katherine, California Burning: The Fall of Pacific Gas and Electric--and What It Means for America's Power Grid. [New York], Portfolio/Penguin, 2022.
MLA Citation (style guide)Blunt, Katherine. California Burning: The Fall of Pacific Gas and Electric--and What It Means for America's Power Grid. [New York], Portfolio/Penguin, 2022.
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Record Information
| Last Sierra Extract Time | Sep 07, 2024 03:03:06 PM |
|---|---|
| Last File Modification Time | Sep 07, 2024 03:03:35 PM |
| Last Grouped Work Modification Time | Sep 07, 2024 03:03:15 PM |
MARC Record
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| 100 | 1 | |a Blunt, Katherine, |e author. | |
| 245 | 1 | 0 | |a California burning : |b the fall of Pacific Gas and Electric--and what it means for America's power grid / |c Katherine Blunt. |
| 264 | 1 | |a [New York] : |b Portfolio/Penguin, |c [2022] | |
| 300 | |a xiii, 350 pages ; |c 24 cm | ||
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| 338 | |a volume |b nc |2 rdacarrier | ||
| 504 | |a Includes bibliographical references (pages 305-340) and index. | ||
| 520 | |a "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"-- |c Provided by publisher. | ||
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