Energy

Report: Firms exploited energy crisis with nudges and winks, suppliers kept plants closed, regulators say.

November 16, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>In the early days of California's power crisis, innuendo and nuance were enough to keep a power plant offline, driving up electricity prices by at least $10 million, according to a report released Friday by federal regulators.</p>

Consumers won’t soon see lower bills from reworked energy deal

November 13, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">San Jose Mercury News</p> <p>The recent reworking of some of California's long-term energy contracts has shaved nearly $5 billion from the more than 50 deals, but consumers won't immediately see the savings on their own energy bills.</p>

From a Power Crisis to a Crisis of Power;

November 12, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>PUC decisions by Davis appointees are costing the state's taxpayers billions.</h3> <p>The Public Utilities Commission stole $7.5 billion from California consumers last week. The money will be used to bail out both utility companies and big businesses from their losses during the energy debacle.</p>

Commentary; From a Power Crisis to a Crisis of Power;

November 12, 2002  ·  Harvey Rosenfield

<h3>PUC decisions by Davis appointees are costing the state's taxpayers billions.</h3><p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>The Public Utilities Commission stole $7.5 billion from California consumers last week. The money will be used to bail out both utility companies and big businesses from their losses during the energy debacle.</p>

How PUC sold out public, saved utilities

November 10, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>Just hours before thousands of Northern Californians lost power the other day -- albeit from storm damage, not Enron's shenanigans -- state regulators voted to keep socking ratepayers with some of the highest electricity bills in the nation.</p>

Calif. power regulators could use rate money to pay past debts

November 8, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Associated Press</p> <p>California power regulators voted to enable themselves to use some of the money generated from record rate hikes last year to settle the lingering debts of the state and two major utilities.</p>

Letter to Greenlining Institute RE: Consumer Advocacy

November 7, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<!-- excerpt --><p>This is in response to your October 15 letter on behalf of "seventeen million low income consumers" in which you state that we should not criticize you for opposing Proposition 9 and that you are not the "enemy," the utility companies are.</p>

EDISON’S 3RD QUARTER STRONG

November 2, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Daily News of Los Angeles</p> <p>Edison's opponents working to stop a bailout agreement between Edison and the California Public Utilities Commission took exception to the fact that Edison earned money.</p>

Potential Buyers Eye California’s Energy Bonds for Decent Income

November 1, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Diego Union-Tribune</p> <p>The California electricity crisis may have cost state consumers billions of dollars, but it becomes an investment opportunity today at least for some.</p>

Gadfly Stands Front, Center;

October 28, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Activist Criticized By Some As An Opportunist</h3><p class="source">San Jose Mercury News</p> <p>If there's a march, a rally or a sleep-in -- whether it's about solar power, sweatshops or the prospect of war in Iraq -- San Francisco activist Medea Benjamin will probably be there.</p>

Edison Field’s Halo Effect

October 28, 2002  ·  Doug Heller

<h3>Sponsor of the Angels' home ballpark is getting plenty of free publicity, which irks its critics</h3><p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>"It's particularly sour to see Edison's name in lights because consumers in Southern California are shelling out billions of dollars to bail it out," said Heller, senior consumer advocate at the Santa Monica-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer</p>

Regulators propose surcharge on third-party electric bills

October 14, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Orange County Business Journal</p> <p>State regulators, looking to help repay California's power debt, have proposed levying a hefty surcharge on thousands of companies and public institutions that rushed to sign third-party electric power contracts last year.</p>