So... the electric company can't become a monopoly because you can spend the money and effort to create your own electric company? How can that not be said for anything anywhere that becomes an obvious monopoly?

> How can that not be said for anything anywhere that becomes an obvious monopoly?

I can't hook up my own ISP or manufacture my own prescription drugs quite as easily as I can put up solar panels or buy a generator.

What exactly are you proposing goes in this generator?

> What exactly are you proposing goes in this generator?

Whatever fuel you have access to that's cheapest. For most people, that will be natural gas or propane.

So we're back to buying fossil fuels from a third party

> we're back to buying fossil fuels from a third party

If we ignore the non-fossil fuel solution mentioned, yes. The point is it's a weak natural monopoly due to multiple alternatives.

Yes that's basically the definition of not beeing able to becomes a monopoly. Any old joe can compete with you.

I think there are legal prohibitions on just putting up solar panels and going off the grid in CA. Like I said, it's the same cartel behavior over a different resource. You cannot start an energy supply company in California, only PG&E can supply power to people in California