California power grid braces for heat wave, blackout potential

[Garnier Fructis]

1. A trillion dollars is A lot of money, therefore it's a valid question.

A trillion is lot of money all at once, but such an overhaul is going to take at least a decade to accomplish. It's not really that much if you spread the cost out over a long period. This is the same reason why we can afford expensive space missions.

[Logwyn]

Thats federal. Power is generally state or locally run. Thats like saying i could buy a car because my parents have money. They do offer rebates and credits for things like solar but they arent going to foot the bill for a big state project. Though i wonder what the cost of that overhaul would compare to that bullet train project.

Lets not forget in some state(s?) its illegal to install solar panels on your house. Looking at you Florida. I mean come one how can the "SUNSHINE" state not allow solar panels.....

[Vanyali]

Lets not forget in some state(s?) its illegal to install solar panels on your house. Looking at you Florida. I mean come one how can the "SUNSHINE" state not allow solar panels.....

If they let their residents install them there wouldn't be any sunshine left for the tourists, it'll use it all up

[Theinquisition]

A trillion is lot of money all at once, but such an overhaul is going to take at least a decade to accomplish. It's not really that much if you spread the cost out over a long period. This is the same reason why we can afford expensive space missions.

I agree, but it is still a lot. I'd like to see a legit financial analysis before I'd be willing to vote for a short term tax increase

[Orange Joe]

1. A trillion dollars is A lot of money, therefore it's a valid question.

2. Oh I don't know....private companies that develop technology to make money.


Spend less time looking for ways to attack me and read before you type.

We could cut our military budget by half (this would still leave us as #1 in military spending), and in 4 years we would have the money.

Why couldn't private company also fund improving our infrastructure. Not sure why they would do one but not the other.

[Kapadons]

Donating to environmental charities, trying to use air travel as little as I can, running my house from solar, planting certain types of bio diversity friendly and Co2 consuming fauna in my garden, subscribing to a green ISP, running low power and high efficiency technology where possible.

Now can I make my point or do you need more to fall back on the standard hypocrite environmental defense?

But that really doesn't do anything. Except make you feel better. You need clean energy worldwide and electric cars worldwide, not just US.

[Logwyn]

If they let their residents install them there wouldn't be any sunshine left for the tourists, it'll use it all up

LOL. Never thought of that!

[Theinquisition]

We could cut our military budget by half (this would still leave us as #1 in military spending), and in 4 years we would have the money.

Why couldn't private company also fund improving our infrastructure. Not sure why they would do one but not the other.

It's not just about the spending, but how it's spent.

That's an issue for an entirely different thread.

[GennGreymane]

But that really doesn't do anything. Except make you feel better. You need clean energy worldwide and electric cars worldwide, not just US.

Well its a good thing other countries are working on it, like China.

[Kapadons]

We could cut our military budget by half (this would still leave us as #1 in military spending), and in 4 years we would have the money.

Why couldn't private company also fund improving our infrastructure. Not sure why they would do one but not the other.

You know there is a reason we spend so much on military right ?

Also, in terms of GDP, the US has significantly reduced its spending on military since 2010.

[TirielWoW]

It's hot as hell here, too, but I am so glad we don't have power shortages.

[Rooflesstoofless]

I'm starting to feel like I dodged a bullet.

High was 80 where I'm at, currently 70.

[endersblade]

Now Ollie with the weather!

It's hot as shit!

Thank you Ollie, now Bob with sports.

[Rasulis]

That's what you get for living in a fucking desert.

What desert? Yes, CA is mostly desert, but the majority of CA population (including myself) lives in the coastal area which is chaparral. So yesterday the high was 107, today the high was only 87, and it is already 65 outside now.

[zeropeorth]

well you could completely annihilate the military budget for 2 years and still not pay for the grid upgrade. It would also cause huge problems, but hey, we can all jump on the trendy "hate the military" train...choooo choooo

Why is it hate?

How about cut the budget in half and invest it into stabilizing the nations infrastructure for national security and reliability?

Our military budget is more than the next 26 countries combined, with 25 of those being allies; sounds a bit of an overexpenditure, focus on protecting the homeland, the people; not be isolationists, but quit leading and carrying most of the burden in most conflicts. A well funded and trained military focused on protecting and helping its own territory and people seems like a sound plan, and would generate a lot less animosity world wide as we are looked upon as meddlers by quite a few. Help those in need, yes. Have strategic bases and a well maintained crew and equipment, definitely. Spending more than half a trillion a year while people have blackouts, the grid is in decay, along with tons of other issues across the board affecting our country and all of its citizens may be a bit overboard. Focus on fixing things that are falling apart, power grid, bridges and roads, education, health care, among others for the health of the nation and its people seems like money better spent when it would still leave us as leaders in military spending 10 fold vs any other nation in the world.

[callipygoustp]

I've been selling power to PG&E for years now. Fuck yeah solar power. Bring on the blackouts.

[Hooked]

Its 73 degrees outside right now at 11:28. Tomorrow is going to be hot I bet. But we are used to it, its always hot in the summer, some days are hotter than others, those are called heat waves. Every year we have a bunch of heat waves. We always have rolling blackouts during the summer also but blaming it on the heatwave is an easy excuse for politicians.

[PC2]

How about cut the budget in half and invest it into stabilizing the nations infrastructure for national security and reliability?

Our infrastructure is stabile and constantly rebuilt. 'The crumbling infrastructure' meme is repeated every year decade after decade.

[Hooked]

Our infrastructure is stabile and constantly rebuilt. 'The crumbling infrastructure' meme is repeated every year decade after decade.

When was the last dam built in California?.

[Slant]

I'm in the mountains and it's hot as fuck here. Was up to 110. This is not what I signed up for when I moved here.





MMO is also now officially better at getting local news than the news though, as I've heard none of expected blackouts and live in the LA area. Sigh.

It's funny, isn't it? Whenever something happens, I get a pretty good digest of it here. Despite all the trolls and idiots posting bullshit, there's a ton of people posting relevant articles that are not on my radar usually...

Edit: Meanwhile, I'm sitting at a casual 64°F... life's pretty cool over here.