Jeremiah's post | Quora

Why PG&E Matters More Than You Think (And My Story With Them!) Okay, let’s be real for a minute: when was the last time you thought about your utility company? Like, actually thought about it? I’ll be honest—before last year, I only ever remembered Pacific Gas and Electric (yep, PG&E!) when my bill came in or if the power went out during a storm. But after what happened, I have a whole new perspective on what it actually means to have (and sometimes, not have) electricity and gas at home. The Day The Lights Went Out—Literally Let me set the scene: it’s a chilly November evening, I’m halfway through making homemade soup (the kind that takes hours, trust me), and suddenly—everything just shuts off. Total blackout. My phone screen glows like a beacon in the darkness. At first, I thought, “No big deal, it’ll be back in a minute.” Well, that “minute” turned into three hours. I started scrolling through my neighborhood Facebook group, and sure enough, everyone was freaking out. “PG&E outage!” “Does anyone know when it’s coming back?” “My kids are scared!” Turns out, it was one of those preemptive power shutoffs to prevent wildfires. I get it, safety first, but wow—talk about inconvenience. I mean, my soup was ruined, my Wi-Fi was gone, and my neighbor’s electric car wouldn’t charge. PG&E: More Than Just a Utility Company? Here’s the thing: PG&E is such a huge part of life in Northern California. They’re not just the people who send you bills—they’re literally the ones keeping the lights on (and sometimes, off). When everything works, we barely notice them. But when there’s an outage, a wildfire, or even just a weird spike in the bill, suddenly everyone has an opinion. And honestly, I get both sides. I started reading up on PG&E after my blackout night. Did you know they serve over 16 million people? That’s wild. I also learned about all the infrastructure issues, the aging power lines, the wildfires, the lawsuits… It’s like a whole drama series, but with real-world stakes. And yeah, I know people can get really frustrated with them (I mean, who hasn’t complained about a bill?), but imagine trying to deliver power across mountains, forests, and cities—24/7. It’s a lot. My Love-Hate Relationship With PG&E Here’s where it gets personal. After my outage, I started paying more attention to energy use. I got those smart plugs, started unplugging things I wasn’t using, and even convinced my roommate to turn off the heater at night (she still grumbles about it, but our bill is lower!). I signed up for the PG&E outage alerts, which are honestly kind of cool because you know what’s coming before you’re in the dark, literally and figuratively. But it’s not all sunshine. The bills are still high (especially in the summer), and there’s always this tiny voice in my head wondering if the next wildfire warning means another blackout is on the way. I get frustrated with the slow fixes and the endless construction on our street. Still, when the lights come back on, and the heat kicks in after a cold night, I can’t help but feel a little grateful. It’s easy to complain, but it’s also easy to forget how much we rely on PG&E every single day. What Can We Do? So, here’s my take: PG&E isn’t perfect. Far from it. But they’re also not the evil empire some people make them out to be. They’re a company full of real people, trying to solve real problems, in a really complicated world. If you’re frustrated, I get it. I am too sometimes. But maybe, just maybe, we can use that frustration to push for better solutions—greener energy, safer infrastructure, more transparency. In the meantime, I’ll keep my flashlight handy, my soup recipes simple, and my fingers crossed for fewer outages. And if you’ve got any PG&E hacks—like how to lower your bill, or survive a blackout—drop them in the comments. Because honestly, we’re all in this together. Final Thoughts I never thought I’d have strong feelings about a utility company, but here we are. Life in California keeps you on your toes, and PG&E is a big part of that. So next time you flip a switch, maybe take a second to appreciate the small miracle of electricity—and remember the soup that could have been. Stay safe, stay warm, and let’s keep the conversation going.