Residents Favor Building More Power Plants

By MARK Z. BARABAK

Feb. 18, 2001 12 AM PT

TIMES POLITICAL WRITER

After weeks of threatened blackouts, Californians overwhelmingly favor construction of more power plants--even if it means building in their own backyards. But they remain staunchly opposed to easing environmental protections or boosting reliance on nuclear power, according to a Los Angeles Times poll.

And although a majority is pleased with Gov. Gray Davis’ handling of the energy crisis, he is the only official who fares well: Respondents give low marks to everyone else, from President Bush to the Legislature.

As lawmakers in Sacramento struggle to keep the lights on and the state’s biggest private utilities afloat, Californians are divided on a number of proposed solutions.

A majority favors state purchase of the utilities’ transmission lines and hydroelectric plants, which would give the companies cash they could use to pay off their crushing debt.

But most oppose the use of state bonds to buy electricity that the cash-strapped utilities cannot purchase on their own. Many also oppose the purchase of power on long-term contracts that would provide a steady--though potentially costly--supply for years to come.

A majority says it is fair for heavy users of electricity to pay more, and there is overwhelming support for improved conservation. Nearly nine in 10 respondents said they had taken steps in the last six months to reduce their own energy consumption.

The energy crisis, born of the state’s failed plunge into deregulation, has consumed California’s leaders for weeks. The public is paying close attention as well: 63% of those responding to the survey, conducted Wednesday and Thursday nights, said energy is California’s No. 1 problem. The figure is up from 39% in early January.

But the public remains deeply skeptical about the power crunch: 57% say they do not believe there is an actual shortage of electricity. That sentiment has remained unchanged since early January.

Overall, Californians are growing increasingly sour on the state of the state. Forty-seven percent of those surveyed say California is headed down the wrong track, while 38% say things are going in the right direction.

A month ago, by 45% to 40%, a plurality said the state was on the right track. A year ago, a 53% majority was satisfied with the state’s overall direction.

But the bad feelings aren’t rubbing off on Davis. Over the last few weeks, the governor has vastly improved his performance in the eyes of his constituents--even as legislators from both parties increasingly question his leadership.

By 49% to 37%, Californians approve of Davis’ handling of the energy situation, a dramatic shift from January, when 39% disapproved of his actions and only 29% approved. Since then, the governor has assumed a higher profile in dealing with the problem.

Perhaps as a result, the governor’s overall job ratings have climbed, with 57% approving of the way Davis is handling his job as governor, compared with 49% in January.

“I feel like he inherited all this, like the problem was there when he came into office and now he’s trying to fix it,” said Ysabel Bravo, 60, of Fresno. “Instead of saying to the utilities, ‘Too bad,’ he’s working to fix the problem.”

President Bush, who has taken a largely hands-off approach to California’s energy crunch, fares much worse. By 44% to 33%, a plurality of those surveyed disapprove of Bush’s response.

“His attitude is like, ‘Don’t ask me; let California take care of itself,’ ” said Sylvia Silver, 76, a retired nurse in Santa Monica, who noted Bush’s heavy financial backing from the energy industry.

The brunt of the public’s displeasure, however, is aimed at the Legislature, the privately owned utilities and the state regulators who oversee the energy industry. By 51% to 28%, most Californians have a negative view of the way lawmakers have handled the energy crisis.

Sentiment toward the regulators and utilities is even harsher.

By a 60% to 16% ratio, they are unhappy with the performance of the California Public Utilities Commission, which oversees the state’s energy industry. By a slightly larger ratio--67% to 19%--they disapprove of the way Pacific Gas & Electric and Southern California Edison--the state’s two biggest private utilities--have handled the energy problem.

“When you read in the paper how much money PG&E; and Southern [California] Edison gave to their parent companies and now they’re broke, you say, ‘Wait a minute,’ ” said Edward J. Collins, 67, a retired union official in Lafayette. “It just makes me a little nervous, a little nervous of politicians and utilities.”

Partial deregulation of the state’s electricity industry, approved by the Legislature in 1996, was intended to inject competition into the field and reduce power bills for consumers, who were already paying among the highest prices in the country.

Instead, wholesale costs have skyrocketed. Among the reasons: tighter supplies and greater demand than expected. As a consequence, two-thirds of Californians now oppose deregulation, with half of those strongly disapproving.

Also contributing to the crunch is the fact that no major power plants have been completed in California in the last few years, though about 20 are either on the drawing board or under construction.

Faced with higher power bills and the threat of rolling blackouts for more than 30 consecutive days, Californians now strongly support stepped-up plant construction. Eighty-three percent of those surveyed said they favor building more nonnuclear generation facilities, with two-thirds strongly supportive.

Support Construction, Even in Communities

Perhaps more surprising--given widespread assumptions that there is a prevalent not-in-my-backyard mentality--three in four of those who favor more power plant construction said they would support it even in their own communities.

“As long as we have the wherewithal to build things safely, conveniently and take care of our environment while we’re doing it, we should do it,” said 61-year-old Michael Oliphant, a retired aerospace worker in Sacramento. “People are pretty . . . stupid if they think they can have all the benefits without paying the price.”

But Californians, true to their eco-friendly image, remain fiercely protective of the state’s environment. By 64% to 29%, those surveyed are adamantly opposed to steps that would ease pollution controls or environmental standards to increase electricity supplies. A strong majority, 64% to 31%, remains opposed to offshore drilling.

Californians are also chary of nuclear power, even as the economics of the long-moribund industry have dramatically improved. By 60% to 33%, most said they would oppose more nuclear plants in California, with nearly half of the public strongly opposed.

Tim Hamby, a 43-year-old building contractor in Yucaipa who wouldn’t mind a new nonnuclear plant in his community, explained the distinction. “You need some kind of infrastructure to support people,” Hamby said.

But as for nuclear power, “They still haven’t figured out what to do with all the waste. Plus, there’s the potential destruction a nuclear power plant [accident] can cause.”

Far more popular are steps aimed at reducing the use of electricity. A 55% to 39% majority supports legislation that would allow the utilities to charge higher rates for residential customers who use more than 130% of their minimum monthly power allowances.

“I think some people just leave their lights on, their appliances on, their TVs on, without giving any consideration that energy’s being used up,” said Mel Valencia, 74, of Whittier. “They’re a little bit selfish and not thinking of the consequences.”

To further conserve electricity, Californians overwhelmingly support an emergency order Davis signed that requires businesses to shut off half their lights when they are closed.

The Times Poll, under the supervision of director Susan Pinkus, interviewed 579 Californians. The survey has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Times Poll results are also available at https://www.latimes.com/timespoll.

How the Poll Was Conducted

The Times Poll contacted 579 Californians by telephone Feb. 14-15. Telephone numbers were chosen from a list of all exchanges in the state. Random-digit dialing techniques were used so that listed and unlisted numbers could be contacted. The entire sample was weighted slightly to conform with census figures for sex, race, age, education and region. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 4 percentage points for the entire sample. For certain subgroups the error margin may be somewhat higher. Poll results can also be affected by factors such as question wording and the order in which questions are presented.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Energy Crisis

Californians believe the energy measures being proposed by the governor and the Legislature constitute a bailout of the utilities, but a majority say it is necessary under the circumstances and are not upset.

Do you personally believe there is an actual shortage of electricity in California, or not?

NOW

There is no shortage: 57%

There is a shortage: 36%

Don’t know: 7%

JANUARY 4-5

There is no shortage: 54%

There is a shortage: 36%

Don’t know: 10%

Do you approve or disapprove of the following actions taken recently by the Legislature and Gov. Gray Davis?

An emergency order that requires retail businesses to shut off half their lights when they are closed, but includes provisions to preserve public safety.

APPROVE: 83%

DISAPPROVE: 14%

Don’t know: 3%

Legislation intended to encourage conservation by providing $75 million in rebates to people who trade in their old appliances for new, more efficient ones.

APPROVE: 76%

DISAPPROVE: 19%

Don’t know: 5%

Legislation that permits higher rates for residential customers of the private utility companies who use more than 130% of their minimum power allowance.

APPROVE: 55%

DISAPPROVE: 39%

Don’t know: 6%

Legislation that authorizes the state to buy electricity on long-term contracts at fixed prices to sell to consumers.

APPROVE: 39%

DISAPPROVE: 44%

Don’t know: 17%

Legislation that authorizes the state to sell up to $10 billion in bonds to buy electricity that private utility companies can’t get on their own. The bonds would be paid off over time with money from private utility customers.

APPROVE: 37%

DISAPPROVE: 50%

Don’t know: 13%

The Legislature and Gov. Davis are considering several options to help the private utility companies pay off their debt. Are you in favor of or opposed to the following?

The state would buy hydroelectric power plants from the private utilities.

IN FAVOR: 56%

OPPOSED: 32%

Don’t know: 12%

The state would buy power lines from the private utilities.

IN FAVOR: 52%

OPPOSED: 36%

Don’t know: 12%

The state could pursue none of these options and let the private utility companies come up with their own plan for improving their financial situation.

IN FAVOR: 43%

OPPOSED: 50%

Don’t know: 7%

Some people say that these measures are a bailout of the private utility companies. Do you agree or disagree?

AGREE: 76%

DISAGREE: 15%

Don’t know: 9%

Would you say that the bailout is necessary under the circumstances, or not?

(If not necessary) Does the idea of the state bailing out the private utilities upset you? (Asked of those who agree it is a bailout)

Bailout is necessary: 53%

Bailout is not necessary and:

I’m very/somewhat upset: 27%