ニューヨーク・タイムズのインスタグラム(nytimes) - 6月19日 10時01分

After flames rolled over the hills north of San Diego and engulfed vineyards, avocado groves and neighborhoods, hundreds in the area were left with only the charred remains of homes and businesses. For many, that moment in 2007 was the beginning of a long struggle to recover their financial losses. But Mother Nature wasn’t the only force to blame. “It was the utility,” said Al Ransom, a 79-year-old retired Marine. San Diego Gas and Electric’s fallen power poles had been found partly responsible for the fire. Now the question is whether a utility’s customers should pay for the harm in similar cases. Lawmakers and representatives of the utilities have raised concerns that liability for wildfires threatens the companies’ security and, as a result, the electric grid. Critics say that puts the burden on ratepayers, not investors. For instance, Al and his wife spent a decade building their San Diego property into a bed-in-breakfast and wedding venue. Insurance would not cover all that the couple lost, so Al sued @sdge. It took 6 years to recover any money in a settlement. A bill before the California Legislature would give utilities the ability to pass on the costs from legal settlements to ratepayers, even if the utilities were responsible for the fire. Even though his own case, after a long wait, ended in a settlement, Al has strong feelings about who should pay. “I’m strongly opposed to letting utility companies off the hook,” Al said. “I just don’t think the government should step in and help them.” @matchull took this photo of Al and his wife, Cathie. Visit the link in our profile to read more.

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