Letters to the Editor: The basics of energy production explain why we aren’t ready to ban gas appliances

To the editor: Let’s see, I can boil a pot of water on my gas stove — or I can use electricity that likely comes from a gas-fired power plant, which boils water to make steam, then puts it through a turbine, which turns an electric generator. The electricity is then put through a series of transformers and power lines, with losses at each step of the process, and it finally reaches my stove and boils the pot of water. (“Don’t fear L.A.’s ban on gas stoves. Electric appliances are the future,” editorial, June 14)

If we’re lucky, it might take only twice as much gas. Score one for the environment.

This kind of thing makes sense only to people who think electric vehicle torque is “zippy” or that induction stoves “use magnets to heat food” (they use magnetic induction, which isn’t the same thing). There is no sense in switching from gas cooking to electric until enough clean generating capacity is available to power it, and I see no indication that anywhere near enough of that capacity is being created.

Steve Maas, Long Beach

The writer is an engineer with a doctorate in electrical engineering.

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To the editor: The pushback against Los Angeles’ ban on appliances in new construction, given the serious and deadly considerations that justify the ban, ranges from the nefarious to the silly. Scare tactics and misinformation, promulgated by those protecting profits at the cost of harm to citizens, is unconscionable.

For example, a Mother Jones article from June 17, 2021, describes how an employee of a public relations firm representing the interests of the Southern California Gas Co. posed as a “neighbor” on Nextdoor to micro-target residents of a city proposing to reduce the use of gas stoves in new construction.

Claims by restauranteurs that only gas stoves can cook certain foods on their menus, even accepted at face value, are just plain silly considering what’s at stake. My hat is off to the the Times Editorial Board for this well-written and persuasive opinion.

Gary Stewart, Laguna Beach

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To the editor: Information on Los Angeles’ gas appliance rule was presented well. But this opinion, as with others, does not mention our problem with electrical grid capacity.

How will the grid support everything — appliances, cars and more — going electric?

Susan Stromgren, Manhattan Beach