"The Grid" is the problem, not the solution

On Oct. 9, Pacific Gas & Electric began shutting down power to about 750,000 customers (affecting as many as 2 million people) in California. The company claims the shutdowns are necessary to reduce the risk that its power lines and other infrastructure will cause wildfires like last year's Camp Fire, which killed 85 people and caused $16.5 billion in damage.

The Camp Fire was an extreme result, a...