California Needs Public Power System

Re “The State’s Electricity Markets Need to Be Mended, Not Ended,” Commentary, Oct. 18: Ralph Cavanagh’s plea to mend, rather than end, electricity deregulation fails to acknowledge the reason for last summer’s price gouging in San Diego and the impending rate increases for Edison and PG&E; customers: Private utility companies do not care about customers (they retain a virtual monopoly) and they don’t care about the environment (unless it’s immediately profitable to care). Unlike public power agencies such as the DWP, the private utilities are only accountable to their shareholders.

The companies will continue to bully the Legislature and Public Utilities Commission to obtain the highest profits possible, even if that means changing the deregulation rules they wrote.

Cavanagh’s flimsy theory that the unregulated market will lead to cheaper and cleaner electricity is an apologist’s excuse for the outrageous demands of the private electric companies. He ignores the true impact on consumers and the long-term impact on the environment of taking power from the public and leaving it to the whims of the market. How many price spikes and threats of rolling blackouts must we endure before we look to a real solution such as a well-regulated, statewide public power system like the DWP?

DOUGLAS HELLER

Foundation for Taxpayer and

Consumer Rights, Santa Monica