Economics
Rich Californians Shell Out $30,000 to Avoid Blackout Pain
- Demand for generators, solar and batteries soar after outages
- Pricey equipment show how affluent have edge in power shutoffs
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Ebony Lopez’s electric company in Napa wine country used to get a handful of inquiries a week from people asking about generators. After PG&E Corp. shut power to millions of Californians last month, it’s more like 10 to 15 calls a day.
“It’s been nonstop,” Lopez said. “People are definitely being reactive.”