Protest at PG&E Wildfire Conference

On Tuesday March 7th, 2023, Local Clean Energy Alliance joined Reclaim Our Power (ROP) coalition members in protesting outside of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) San Ramon Conference Center. PG&E was holding a conference with Governor Gavin Newsom and his regulators in discussion about wildfire mitigation. The governor’s regulators have time and time again made excuses for the destruction that PG&E has caused, instead of actually holding them accountable.

The goal of this protest was to get the utility company and authorities to understand the gravity of this situation, the lives lost and destroyed at their hands. They have the power to positively impact the trajectory of our energy system, and that begins with the revoking of PG&E’s license.

The utility is responsible for the 2018 Camp Fire in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, killing 85 people. There are too many instances just like that one which have happened and we demand justice for our communities. The governor’s administration created an “accountability process”, where PG&E would face consequences for causing harm and have their business license revoked.

Today is years later and Governor Newsom and the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) haven’t made decisions to effectively support the creation of a sustainable, equitable, and just energy system.

See some of the news coverage of the action:

ABC 7 News: Group demands Gov. Newsom hold PG&E accountable for fires, blackouts, wild rates

CBS Bay Area: PG&E protesters rally at wildfire mitigation conference in San Ramon

NBC Bay Area: Protesters at Wildfire Conference in San Ramon Call for PG&E Accountability