Politicians Thrive, Consumers Conserve

Re “Rate Hike Will Cover Power Costs, State Says,” July 23: One doesn’t have to read past your headline to understand what has happened in California. Power brokers and generators have succeeded in creating a false shortage to pressure state officials and panic consumers into accepting outrageous rate hikes. In the process they have succeeded in assuring they can make future rate hikes without any regulatory oversight.

How convenient that once the rate hikes are in place and controls are eliminated, the shortage disappears, and things start “shaping up favorably.” Once again the power generators can afford to pay themselves obscene wages, bonuses and perks and share their largess with their political allies. Guess who will be footing the bill!

Is it any wonder that we are becoming jaded and cynical about our political system? How can we trust any politician when so many have proven to be both inept and corrupt?

Wayne D. Kerr

La Crescenta

Beginning in January 2001, we replaced virtually all of our incandescent bulbs with fluorescents. We installed Power Planners with our refrigerator, dishwasher, whole-house fan and other fans. We installed more ceiling fans, pedestal fans and blinds on the west side of our house. We have had our whole-house fan for years.

Our June electricity usage plummeted by 44.4% compared to 2000. Our electricity bill for June of last year was $91. This year it was $49, and with Gov. Gray Davis’ rebate, it will be $39! Who cares what the baselines are? We rarely need to turn our air conditioner on even when the temperature is over 100 degrees. We almost never use the air conditioner after the sun goes down. We just turn on our whole-house fan.

Conservation works! When Denise Stark (letter, July 23) was running her air conditioner for six hours per day, we rarely needed to turn ours on at all to be comfortable, and the average high was 100 degrees.

Al Dibrell

Adelanto, Calif.