Letters: Who loses when California lets PG&E's profit motive dictate energy policy?

San Francisco Chronicle​

14-05-2025

Regarding 'California wants to kill rooftop solar — all because officials were duped by this flawed theory' (Open Forum, SFChronicle.com, May 11): Thanks to Richard McCann for shining light on PG&E's strategy to blame rooftop solar instead of its profit-driven incentives for its skyrocketing rates.
The state Legislature, California Public Utilities Commission and Gov. Gavin Newsom are complicit when they base energy policy on PG&E's desire to build costly, and often unnecessary, projects just so its 10.3% state-guaranteed return for investors kicks in.
Our leaders must stop acting like hostages when PG&E threatens grid reliability or underinvestment if rate hikes aren't approved.
You know who invests in the energy grid at no cost to the state and without a 10.3% profit? Rooftop solar customers — the group PG&E is so desperately trying to villainize.
It's ungainly for PG&E to rake in record-breaking profits while simultaneously jacking up rates, so it punches down on solar customers rather than expose its board of directors or Patti Poppe, its multimillion-dollar-salaried CEO.
Energy policy should focus on ratepayers and the state's goal to cut fossil fuel use. All ratepayers win when there are cost savings, public land preservation, more grid capacity through renewable energy and renewed trust in the leaders we elect.
Yvette DiCarlo, Sacramento
Prevent child trauma
The focus on 'adverse childhood events' (ACES) has become popular and is supported by state funding.
But ACES relates to trauma that has already occurred and preventing further damage is known as secondary prevention. It is important, but the main focus should be on primary prevention — what can be done by doctors with parents, social service programs, early intervention programs and others to prevent the 'toxic stress' in the first place.
Society must prevent the environmental, structural, health and other negative challenges that children and families face before they become adverse for the child, the family and society.
Dr. Peter Michael Miller, San Rafael
Disgraceful U.S. history
Regarding 'How to stop Trump? Listen to the American president who defeated fascism' (Open Forum, SFChronicle.com, May 8): I was at first amused and then appalled to read the author's opinion of the United States' 'leadership of the 'free world,' which he views as an unalloyed force for good, bringing a 'global order of security, peace and prosperity.' '
Ask the people of Guatemala and Iran whether the U.S. brought them 'peace and prosperity' by overthrowing their elected governments in the 1950s.
Ask the people of Vietnam, who lost millions of lives to their struggle against colonialism.
Or the people of South Africa, who suffered under apartheid, supported by our government until the weight of world opinion made it too difficult to justify.
There are many more examples.
The author professes opposition to President Donald Trump, but his blatant whitewashing of history — canceling the voices that U.S. hegemony has harmed — is completely in line with Trump's policies.
Avilee Goodwin, Richmond
Stop the steal
President Donald Trump wants to accept Qatar's gift of a plane to serve as his Air Force One, which would then be given to his presidential museum.
Boeing is under contract to provide two 747s to replace the pair that serve as Air Force One. Boeing is well behind schedule, but these planes are supposed to be ready by 2027. No one has suggested that the current fleet is inadequate except for Trump.
At best, the plane from Qatar would be usable after a year or more extensive retrofitting, surely costing hundreds of millions of dollars.
The impact of all this? Trump would get to fly in a marginally more commodious plane for about two years, costing taxpayers hundreds of millions — for a prop at the Trump museum.
Art of the deal indeed.
Albert Sukoff, Berkeley