Chaos And Shouting Erupt As SC Edison Attempts To Evade Public Questioning
Written by 991KBU on October 10, 2018
Two major stories this morning about the Southern California Edison power blackout plans.
First, last night’s open house meeting hosted by the power company erupted into shouting and chaos … as local residents objected strongly to the plan.
And … yesterday the Malibu city attorney filed an official objection with the state … over the California Public Utilities Commission’s plans to turn the power off in Malibu.
This is what happened last night … when Edison officials refused to allow the public to question them at their public meeting.
NEWSCART 77857 :23 QQQ UNBELIEVABLE
[GENERAL SHOUTS AND CONFUSION … ]
[EDISON FLACK TRIES TO THANK PEOPLE AND ASKS THEM TO EXIT THE AUDITORIUM … TO ASK QUESTIONS ONE-ON-ONE IN THE NEXT ROOM.]
[CROWD GETS ANGRY .. SHOUTS NO … JEERS … BOO.]
[MAN SHOUTS “UN-BE-LIEV-ABLE”].
The meeting last night at King Gillette Ranch was attended by about 100 people … all but one of them ranging between mad and furious.
The power company presented it’s plans to forecast the weather carefully … issue warnings before pending severe Santa Anas … and turn the power off in large chunks of the area as winds peak above 40 or 50 miles per hour.
They expect to do that about 4 times a year … in various places acorss the S C Edison system area.
Edison officials said they have been working with local agencies … who were caught by surprise when the power shut off plans were first announced.
Edison engineer Cameron McPherson.
NEWSCART 77859 CAMERON MCPHERSON :12
QQQ WATER SYSTEM OPERATIONAL
“We have met with the LA County Waterworks and they are confident that with the advance notice that we are providing … public notification … that the district staff will keep their water system operational.”
The plan to turn off electricity when nasty windstorms arrive has been blessed by the state … and Public Utilities Commission safety enforcement officer Liza Malashenko says the deadly fires in northern California … which killed 44 people … are behind the shutoff plan.
NEWSCART 77860 LIZA MALASHENKO :26 QQQ: ON BOTH FRONTS.
“There was a a lot of community questioning about why PG and EE was not pro actively shutting off their powerlines to proactively prevent additional fires from igniting, because those winds were sustained for a long periods of time, and people were very frustrated that what they thought the utility was not taking proactive steps to take fires from igniting.
“So we do hear about this issue from both fronts.”
Malashenko did not mention that California utilities already have the power to turn off power in front of a fire.
The new plan … however … is radically different.
It would shut off the power in high winds before any fire occurred.
But to back up her point … one person in the crowd spoke in favor of the preemptive blackouts.
Topanga Canyon resident Greg Magnusson [PHONETIC SPELLING]
NEWSCART 77861 GREG MAGNUSSON :11 QQQ TO KEEP MYSELF SAFE.
“You can turn my power off whenever you want.
“I think it’s a great idea.
“My safety is not your responsibility, my safety is my own, to keep myself safe.”
That was the lone voice.
Things got so heated at last night’s meeting that Malibu city council member Jefferson Wagner took the stage … to calm things down.
He restored order … but did not try to quell the opposition.
Malibu resident Beth Lucas:
NEWSCART 77862 BETH LUCAS :18 [APPLAUSE FADEOUT]
“The lawsuits that you re facing today because of lines being downed, going to face even greater losses facing because you de-energized and people are going to be stuck without indication, without water, without a way to evacuate, and people are going to die APPLAUSE FADEOUT].”
If the meeting was designed to provide answers … it didn’t.
Topanga Canyon resident Holly Kessler summed up the feelings of all but one of the 100 people in the room.
NEWSCART 77858 HOLLY KESSLER :
“I am dumbfounded that you would proceed with this plan and put our very lives at risk … with no answers.”
The Southern California Edison blackout plan is now in effect.
