California Bans Coal and Oil Fired Power Plants (real title: Governor signs scores of bills)

San Jose Mercury News ^ | 9/20/06 | Steven Harmon, Barbara Feder and Paul Rogers

[marty60]

So California.....one of the most bueatiful states has giant windmills and sundry crap to littler the landscape

[goldstategop]

I just love it when California politicians invalidate all those long term electricity contracts Gray Davis signed to lock in lower electricity prices for consumers because they believe, on the basis of NO evidence whatsoever, the icepack in Greenland will melt in a few years' time.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[chemicalman]

They could hook up a heat duct from hollywood to a steam turbine. It should be enough electricity to power half of california. Need more electricity? Re-elect Bush for a 3rd term and get the hollywierds steamed up again.

[curiosity]

Is this an unconstitutional regulation of interstate trade which lies in the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal Congress ?

Yes! I think you hit the nail on the head. There's no way this stands up in court.

[William Tell]

mountn man said: "And how do you separate it, so that you get only the type you want?"

You count energy in versus energy out and allow for losses in the system. At least that is what I would expect. Perhaps Arnold will sign an additional bill to prohibit the transport of "unclean" power on the grid in Kalifornia. Then things will get quite interesting.

There may be a workaround for power companies. If a power company decides to build a coal-fired plant in Nevada, for example, maybe they can make a deal with an existing natural-gas plant in Utah. The Nevada plant will sell their electicity for use in Utah. The Utah plant will then be free to sell the "clean" energy to Kalifornia. After they mark up the price to pay them for the trouble, of course.