Tag: wildfire

Energy Tradeoffs Podcast #35 – Michael Wara, Part II

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This week’s EnergyTradeoffs.com podcast episode is Part II of Michael Wara‘s discussion with David Spence about his research on California’s wildfire policies. This two-part series focuses on “PG&E’s Wildfire Liability and Bankruptcy: Who Pays?” Today’s 19-minute podcast episode starts where the last one left off; it focuses on “Bankruptcy & the Future.”

Michael explains why PG&E’s bankruptcy is co complex, noting: “It’s a mess. It’s not just in one court. It’s in seven.” And he explains how some of the important stakeholders and issues are not well represented in the bankruptcy proceedings. For example, he notes that ratepayers are not directly represented. He also highlights the danger that the results of the bankruptcy may make it even harder to address California’s affordable housing shortage.

As noted last week, Michael is frequently quoted in the media as an expert on PG&E, wildfires, and liability.

The Energy Tradeoffs Podcast can be found at the following links: 
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Energy Tradeoffs Podcast #34 – Michael Wara, Part I

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This Thursday’s EnergyTradeoffs.com podcast features Stanford University’s Michael Wara talking with David Spence about his research on California’s wildfire policies. This week’s podcast episode is the first part of a two-part series on “PG&E’s Wildfire Liability and Bankruptcy: Who Pays?”

This episode focused on wildfire causes, liability, and victims. David and Michael talk about why Northern California has been so vulnerable to fires in recent years, including how fire prevention practices have differed from those in Southern California. They also discuss why utilities have been shutting off power to avoid fires and how customers have responded to the risk that their power supply will be cut off.

Michael appears frequently in the media as an expert on PG&E, wildfires, and liability. Just last week he released a new NBER working paper on “The Changing Risk and Burden of Wildfire in the US.” If you’d like more background on wildfire law and policy, I can recommend two articles by Karen Bradshaw of Arizona State: a 2010 piece titled “A Modern Overview of Wildfire Law” and a 2015 piece on stakeholder collaborations in wildfire policy.

The Energy Tradeoffs Podcast can be found at the following links: 
Apple | Google

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS