Power Mess: ‘Grab Bull by the Horns’

Since January California has spent as much money buying electricity ($3 billion) as it would cost to buy all of the power generating plants in California. These are the plants that were sold to out-of-state generators for $2.4 billion since 1997, generators that are now overcharging us billions and getting away with it.

It is time for Gov. Gray Davis and the California Legislature to grab this bull by the horns. Californians are getting robbed blind by these generators, and it’s only going to get worse this summer. Davis should invoke eminent domain and buy back all these generating plants. That is the only quick way out of this mess. There may still be a few blackouts, but at least the prices will be realistic and affordable.

SAGE R. VANDEN HEUVEL

Hollywood

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I found it hard to have sympathy for the Edison and PG&E; customers who are suddenly up in arms after hearing their rates are going up over 40% (March 29). SDG&E; customers have seen a 200% increase in our bills since last June. Meanwhile, the rest of the state enjoyed the same electricity at a far lower cost and didn’t care that the state’s third-largest city was bearing these costs. The response was a continued high approval rating for Davis, as well as some utopian hope that the two largest utilities would both go bankrupt and yet still provide us with power.

While last summer I could not afford to run my air conditioning at any time but overnight, Edison customers kept their homes at a brisk 65 degrees, continued to heat their pools and could still afford to leave all their lights on. Welcome, California, to what we in San Diego have been feeling for a year, and maybe now you are ready to do something about the problem.

JAMES PATTERSON

Ramona

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In regard to “Davis Keeps His Distance From Utility Rate Hikes” (March 28), about the governor and his dive for cover from the electrical rate hike voted by the California Public Utilities Commission: It is clear that there must be a rate hike, since the Federal Energy Resources Commission is determined not to rein in the price-gougers in Texas. And it is clear that Davis is a gutless coward to let PUC President Loretta Lynch take the heat for it.

DAVID KASE

Palos Verdes Estates

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I am willing to accept Davis’ contention that he was unaware of the PUC’s plan to increase rates. However, this then leads to a more important question: What is the elected leader of our state doing?

JOHN MARDAHL

Santa Ana

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Since Dan Schnur (“Take-Charge Governor Forfeits on Energy,” Commentary, March 30) was the mouthpiece for former GOP Gov. Pete Wilson, who signed the infamous electricity deregulation bill into law, he has absolutely no credibility criticizing Davis as he tries to undo the mess left on his desk by his predecessor.

HOWARD COHEN

North Hills

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Re “No Ebb in Davis’ Fund-Raising Power,” March 29: I see Davis raised $100,000 on a trip to Palm Desert. I wonder if the air conditioner was operating at Bighorn Golf Club, or if he did “his part” in conserving electricity? I hope he comes back in June or July or August or September and does “his part.”

KURT SIPOLSKI

Palm Desert

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I’m still looking for the bozo in Sacramento who said that deregulation of electricity will reduce my electric bill.

BERNARD JOZAITIS

Thousand Oaks

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Let’s not kid ourselves, raising rates only fixes the financial part of the energy crisis. We are still short of electric generation and California faces everyday realities of predictable rolling blackouts.

Like a perfect storm, California’s energy crisis has been building from the convergence of several factors, including load growth, generation shortages, emissions limits, constrained transmission lines and deficient gas pipelines. Under a flawed market structure, this has led to runaway wholesale prices and utility financial insolvency.

Market forces hitting California’s restructured electric system cannot be masked by political sleight of hand. Raging like a wildfire, wholesale electric prices continue to burn much higher than consumers are paying. Our frozen rates caused utility deficit spending that will ultimately be paid by all of us. Rather than candy-coat consumer medicine, our rates need to rise to reflect today’s market values. New power plants may take a few years to balance demand and will come at a price. The only apparent solution for next summer is to reduce demand.

ROBERT D. HOFFMAN

Redondo Beach

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The front-page headlines on March 28 were about the huge hike in electricity rates and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder’s attempts to persuade the U.S. to uphold carbon dioxide emissions goals. What an opportunity we have: We can choose to start conserving energy, keeping our electricity costs down and simultaneously cutting carbon dioxide emissions. We can use our tremendous prosperity, knowledge and resources to lead the world in the effort to save our planet. Or we can choose to build more power plants, purposefully increasing carbon dioxide emissions, with the knowledge that shortages will only grow worse, the rest of the world will become more and more frustrated with our wasteful ways and the degradation of the planet will continue.

LISA FAY MATTHIESSEN

Pasadena

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I hope the politicians and utility companies realize that the decision to hike rates will force many people out into the street, because they can’t afford to live in homes anymore. This insane idea will widen the gap between the haves and have-nots. Many people are already living on the edge of bankruptcy, and this will just drive up the population of homeless further.

KAREN SCOTT

Sherman Oaks