State Power
State Sen. Joe Dunn (D-Garden Grove) is getting very close to the real villains in the past power crisis (“State Inflated Power Needs, Lawmaker Says,” May 22). Dunn did not mention the critical role of Terry Winter, chief executive of the California Independent System Operator. On Dec. 8, 2000, Winter petitioned federal regulators to lift a price cap as a way to encourage more sellers to offer electricity to California.
On Nov. 6, 2001, Gov. Gray Davis’ spokesman, Steve Maviglio, described Winter’s action as “throwing gasoline on fire,” saying it led to the higher power prices that pushed the state’s utilities toward bankruptcy (“Electricity Grid Chief Defends His Secretive Action,” Nov. 7). Cal-ISO is a California state agency. It is the responsibility of the governor.
Larry Zini
La Quinta
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