California dodged blackouts, but energy is still a huge mess

Sacramento Bee ^ | October 23, 2002 | Dan Walters

[snopercod]

Californians were spared power blackouts last summer, thus pushing energy into the dimmer recesses of the public consciousness.

Notwithstanding a blackout-free summer, however, other -- and perhaps more important -- aspects of California's notorious energy crisis are as unsettled today as they were a year ago, when the issue was burning brightly.

[snopercod]

Bond sale is proceeding regardless, so I read.

[snopercod]

flag

[Dog Gone]

Meanwhile, the state's appetite for more electricity grows. Nothing is being done about that, except the creation of additional disincentives to supply that power.

It was a drought in the Pacific Northwest which primarily triggered the shortages in 2001. But as the population continues to grow in California, demand will outstrip supply even in non-drought years.

An intelligent state government would take advantage of this brief reprieve to get plants constructed in large enough numbers to meet the increasing demand, even in a drought year.

Instead, we have the current situation which guarantees a future shortage, perhaps far more severe than the previous one.

[mamarainsberry]

Our power prices in the Pacific Northwest have increased 200% because of California/Davis. They think they can do whatever they want, we are building power plants here because we aren't completely choked by the enviro-whacks YET. Will it lower our prices NO, because California will pay whatever it takes to buy our power.

[Robert357]

Thank you for the post. Yes, the bond sale goes forward and we will get to see the investment community "vote" (with their checkbook) on the reasonableness of the California plan.

"It cannot foist these costs on our consumers as 'just and reasonable' while arguing fervently at FERC that they are not."

It's a strong rhetorical point that captures the absurdities of the situation. Financiers were already leery of the first-ever state power bond issue, issuing mediocre ratings and demanding a huge reserve fund, and the PG&E suit casts a new cloud over its viability.

The author sums it up nicely.

Actually, he could have really piled on. The tranmsission line contraint that is suppose to go through Riverside hit a snag at the Cal PUC, if I remember correctly. The California witnesses have testified in the FERC refund hearings that more money is owed to generators than is expected to be refunded to the State in the settlement hearings. I quoted a recent Clearing UP Article on a Cal ISO report that said the ISO was very dependent even in the winter on PNW imports and that PNW hydro could be in doubt.

There are some indications that we may be in an El Nino event this winter. Just as an aside, in most El Nino years the jet stream moves south and the massive amounts of rain that put snow in east of the Cascades Mountain range-to west side of the Rockey Mountains (especially in Canada) gets put into other parts of the US. This causes dramatically reduced hydro in the PNW Columbia & Snake River Basins, but increases in California hydro and in Colorado River water. It could be about to happen again. If it does happen, there won't be much power for California next summer from the PNW.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I'll ping the list.

Memories:

California Power Crisis animations featuring Governor Gray Davis

AND......................

...to see what bad, bad things Davis has done... - CLICK HERE

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[daviddennis]

This bears repeating:

The new power plants that were supposed to be built in such abundance to protect California against future supply squeezes have, one by one, been placed in mothballs because of the much-lower wholesale market and uncertainty about what kind of electric power system California will have in the future.

So much for one thing Davis says he's proud of.

D

[NormsRevenge]

Don't Miss the Patriots Rallies - October 25 and 26, 2002 Chicago, IL --- Washington, DC --- San Francisco,CA Cheer on Bill Simon in Long Beach, CA October 24th! Help TakeBack America - FReePWatch 2002
...DATE../..TIME...	...CITY../..SITE...	...ADDRESS..INFO...	...MORE INFORMATION...
Thursday 10/24/2002 11 - 11:30 am	Long Beach, CA	Hyatt Regency - Support Bill Simon 200 S. Pine St. - At Shoreline Drive Long Beach, CA 710 Fwy S., Follow the signs	California Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Bill Simon speaks to the Long Beach community about California's future. Click HERE for more info about the LONG BEACH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE "California Visionaries Luncheon". Meet in front of the Hotel at 1130 or earlier. Be Creative with your signs. "FOR SALE" Gray Davis signs are always in, the bigger the better!
FRiday 10/25/2002 445 pm, rain or shine.	Chicago, IL	Pre-Patriots Rally II FReep, Chicagoland For more info, check out the Thread.	FReePers, Gather at Michigan Ave and Jackson, 4:45pm. We will head toward Columbus Drive at about 5pm to find our targets. Bring your flags, signs and patriotism! Keep those sign ideas coming!
Saturday 10/26/2002 530 pm, rain or shine.	Pasadena, CA	JOIN THE CAMPAIGN CHICKEN AND THE CHICKEN TO DEBATE GOVERNOR IN PASADENA Firefighter Rally and BBQ with Gray Davis United Democratic Headquarters 1118 E. Green Street Pasadena, CA	Bring as big a "For Sale" sign as you can muster! Please RSVP to sfrank@simonforgovernor.com
Saturday 10/26/2002 11 am until 3 pm, rain or shine.	Washington, DC	THE PATRIOTS RALLY FOR AMERICA II Original thread Update thread The Washington Monument Corner of 17th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW. C-SPAN will be striving to provide fair and balanced coverage for both the anti-war protests and the Patriots Rally.	Bring your flags, signs and patriotism! As always, the D.C. Chapter's rules for demonstrating will be in effect. Briefly, they are: No violence, no racism, no profanity, no threats, no provocations, obey the law and treat all law enforcement officers with respect.
Saturday 10/26/2002 12 pm	San Francisco, CA	West Coast Patriots Rally "Stop the Warped (Leftists)" Rally City Hall - across from the Civic Center Plaza. Carlton Goodlett Place between McAllister St. and Grove St.	Bring your flags, signs and patriotism! Please be aware, even though there may be police there, we are each responsible for our own safety. Parking available at the Civic Center Parking Garage. BART stops a few blocks away. Cal-train + bus is also available.
Tuesday 10/29/2002 12pm	New York City	Cipriani 42nd Street 110 East 42nd Street New York, NY	New York FReePers Heads UP!!! MICHAEL EISNER, the big cheese of Disney, and his family will be honored for their contributions to Jewish Home and Hospital. Barbara Walters presides, as her friend, Elton John, that man of many events, entertains. Cipriani 42nd Street is located at 110 East 42nd Street. It is situated on the South side of the Street between Lexington Avenue & Park Avenue. A clutch of famous names - Gov. Gray Davis - native son of NY, Sens. Joseph Lieberman and Barbara Boxer, Barry Diller - will send special video tributes.

Updated 10:30 10/23/02

[snopercod]

The tranmsission line contraint that is suppose to go through Riverside hit a snag at the Cal PUC, if I remember correctly.

Did you read their justification for the denial? The 500KV line was not "needed" in 2004, the expected completion date. They went on to say that it would be needed in 2006.

Only in California...

[snopercod]

Instead, we have the current situation which guarantees a future shortage, perhaps far more severe than the previous one.

Absolutely. Davis has done nothing other than demagogue those on whom his state depends to supply it's energy needs.

In fact, California may be on the brink already, if you have been following Robert357's posts from WECC.

[NormsRevenge]

BUMP

[Robert357]

Did you read their justification for the denial? The 500KV line was not "needed" in 2004, the expected completion date. They went on to say that it would be needed in 2006.

No I didn't. If this is the line, I think it is, the lack of it contributed to some of the blackouts in California during the power crisis.

Still I guess they can wait until 2006. What the heck its only blackouts.

[Robert357]

One of the guys in the office today pointed out to me the following:

Electricity---------($/megawatt hour)

----------------------Price---Change

COB, firm on-peak---- $37.50 --

Palo Verdefirm on-peak--$36.98

What surprised me when we looked at the data was that power costs are still fairly high and in the long term markets they are staying high. This means folks are not expecting an abundance of cheap electricity later this year and early next year.

That isn't good for California.

[Dog Gone]

Don't get me started. The press has moved on and only the spinmeisters are left behind to blame Enron, et al, for what happened.

Meanwhile, California has no plan, and no new plants. This will happen again. There's no way it can't at this point.

[snopercod]

El Nino May Whipsaw Western Electricity In Summers

[Robert357]

Like I said in an early post, I would keep the Coleman lamps filled. Thanks for the link.

[snopercod]

Power plant boom stalls :Developers delay half their projects

[snopercod]

Did either of you see that information I posted on the El Paso Natural Gas line fire and outage in August, 2001? I was so proud of finding that, then nobody responded.

[link]

BTW, after a rocky week, EP was up today.

[Robert357]

Thanks for the cross reference, I missed it. I have been busy lately having to do real work for clients. It has been cutting into my posting, along with a little vacation.

[snopercod]

Real work??? Shudder...

I'm unemployed now, and have forgotten what being in that situation is like, but just the sound of it scares me.