California Burning

The Fall of Pacific Gas and Electric—and What It Means for America's Power Grid

By: Katherine Blunt

Narrated by: Nan McNamara

Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

2022 Winner of the Golden Poppy Award for Nonfiction (California Independent Booksellers Alliance)

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 and 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 and 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.

©2022 Katherine Blunt (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"[PG&E's] story comes in a recognisably irresistible form: juicy backroom dealings, Wall Street leeches, hapless politicians...Some of the most entertaining exchanges take place within the corridors of power in California’s state government, with a mood reminiscent of HBO’s The Wire."—Financial Times

“[An] intensely researched, deeply unsettling chronicle . . . Blunt delivers detailed accounts of complex, ongoing political, business, and courtroom maneuvers that would overwhelm readers if not for her abundant journalistic skills. . . A compelling and heart-wrenching study.”—Kirkus Reviews

"Blunt’s book is not a technical tome but a drama, a human tragedy, loaded with fascinating characters and tales of death and destruction, incompetence and chicanery, malfeasance and greed. Any detail necessary to understand the electric grid and how it works is woven seamlessly and clearly through the narrative."—LA Times

Amazing detail

The book was amazing in its detail. I am from a PG&e family so truly am amazed at the leadership craziness. The book was pretty dry but I listened to it on audible and it really was much easier than trying to read it in book form. it was well narrated. I feel I know PG&e and my state much better now. I just went through a terrible wildfire that was caused by lightning and was so grateful that it was lightning caused! No damage to my home. I think it is insane that a public utility is owned by shareholders. People whose only aim is to make money off of us. The one thing I didn't understand was why it was never mentioned that part of PG&e retirement is getting PG&e stock. I didn't hear that in the book.

A well-written cautionary tale, an essential read for policy makers and influencers

Once upon a time, smart innovative gutsy entrepreneurs created businesses that would become both the beating hearts and life blood of our modern tech-enabled society.

Policymakers of the time wisely determined that in order to control price and ensure broad reliable access to the essential resource, it was necessary to regulate the natural monopoly.

Policymakers would later, at the behest of men who fashioned themselves the smartest in the room, tragically undue that regulation to devastating and crippling effect. Affordable wasn’t enough, we wanted cheap. But as is usually the case, cheap doesn’t go hand in hand with safe or reliable.

This is an essential and well-written cautionary tale, and reminder that in this world we ignore human nature and the power of appropriate incentives at our own peril. Corporate greed and public greed are both dangerous things to enable.

Best book I've read this year.

I expected this book to be nothing but a beating for PG&E. I thought the company would be bashed throughout the entire book but it was written very well. I thought it was very fair and very factual. And I like the narration very much. I would give it a 10

Intriguing account of PG&E

Really enjoyed this historical account of the challenges faced and caused by PG&E including the fires and gas explosions. I hope all utilities can learn lessons from this.

Impactful

Climate change is a growing problem that has real challenges for utilities and dire consequences for our society. The author makes it clear from the beginning that this is a story will not only give you all of the facts but lay out the gruesome truth and pain of the victims. How the little details, when gone unchecked over the course of decades, can lead to disaster. Showcasing a growing issue for not just PG&E, but every utility in a world of increasing environmental extremes and conditions.

Excellent history of California’s biggest utility

This book is well researched and well told. Although this book would be especially interesting, for people in the utility business or in California politics, there’s value here for non-utility people as well.

A ‘blunt’ revelation

Excellent, page turning overview of the history and tribulations of PGE to current time. I listened to it twice…

Timely

Well researched. Starts a bit slow but builds into a sort of detective story. We all use electricity. We should all read this.

Insightful, well written, well read

This is a fascinating look at how PG&E got into the situation where their lines were such a problem. It has just the right level of detail to provide context and illustrate issues while still moving along at a good clip.

Balanced and well written

A well researched and balanced overview looking at the highlights of PG&E‘s actions leading up to the camp fire, including a brief history of the utility, the regulatory environment in which it operates, and human factors that lead to disaster. This book serves as a good jumping off point for further personal research, laying out many possible topics for further review.