Governor, Take Command

Every time Gov. Gray Davis says he’s working us out of the electricity power crisis, things get worse. The state is like a crippled supertanker headed for the rocks while those on deck argue over who’s to blame. The alarming events of this past week demonstrate the need for stronger leadership and a firm plan of action.

Here’s a sample of the bad news:

* Davis’ plan to save Southern California Edison from bankruptcy is foundering in the Legislature.

* Republicans have put the state’s credit at risk and threatened our ability to buy power by delaying for three months the sale of $13.4billion in revenue bonds.

* BC Hydro of Canada refused to sell California 2,000 megawatts of power--enough for 2 million homes--until it had $14 million cash in hand. The electricity was not restored until officials walked a check to the bank and had it wired north.

* Hot weather brought more Stage 3 alerts and rolling blackouts.

* Wholesale power rates soared as high as $1,900 a megawatt hour, more than 50 times the cost of a year ago, and the state budget has suddenly plunged from a healthy surplus toward red ink.

* The Public Utilities Commission is set to impose a flawed rate increase that boosts power costs to businesses as much as 87%.

* Davis’ estimates for new power production and savings from conservation this summer now look to be wildly optimistic, and a new survey says blackouts may cost the California economy more than $26 billion this summer.

Davis is hardly the only politician to flounder during this crisis. President Bush has been of no help to Californians, and partisan posturing by our legislators has made matters worse.

Davis has had some good ideas and has taken some necessary actions, such as putting the state in the power-buying business when the utilities ran out of money.

For the most part, though, he has been too tentative. He has failed to rally the Legislature on a bipartisan basis, been slow to grasp the need for rate increases and has kept to himself far too much control of critical information and the formation of policy.

The power crisis is driving the state toward severe recession. It’s time for Davis to be candid with the people about the severity of the crisis and the absolute need to conserve power this summer. He should hold a Bill Clinton-style town hall airing of the issue. He needs to tell Californians to expect the worst and how to prepare for it. He should be on television and radio constantly with spots giving people the reality of the crisis rather than the feel-good conservation commercials now running.

The governor should make sure that blackouts are scheduled in advance to make them more manageable. He should see to it that the state, to the extent possible, boycotts power companies that try to drive up prices during periods of acute shortage.

Finally, he should heed state Treasurer Phil Angelides, who has urged him to seize a power plant the next time a generator charges exorbitant wholesale rates. Yes, under his emergency powers, he has the authority to do that.

Five months into the crisis, California has achieved little except to use up $6 billion in public money to buy power. Beginning today, the governor needs to take command of this listing ship and make a bold sea change.