the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist
“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx
May 12, 2025
Southern California Edison, the electricity utility, now bills its customers an additional charge of more than $300 annually on average to support what it calls “wildfire-related safety costs.” Edison claims that to prevent its equipment from causing fires, it is spending on insulated wires, tree trimming, weather stations, and increased equipment inspections.
Edison passes these safety-related expenses on to its customers. Edison was allowed to do this because of a bill the Democratic Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, signed in 2019 to limit utilities’ financial liability for wildfires they caused. According to this bill, such companies are now automatically deemed to have acted “prudently” as long as they’ve obtained an annual safety certification from state regulators before any fire. So, we foot the extra bill if a utility company claims that it spends money on improving the safety of its operations. This is nothing but a scam.
But, despite Edison’s so-called safety expenses, its equipment STILL sparked 178 fires last year. Last winter, Edison’s equipment very likely caused the Eaton fire, which devastated vast areas east of Los Angeles and killed 18 people.
Whatever happens, Edison profits. Capitalism at its best: it works for free for the rich; the bill is sent to the working class.