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Consumer Watchdog

Energy

Energy and utility watchdog coverage — gas prices, oil-industry profits, utility rates, and clean-energy accountability.
Edison, PG&E File to Resume Power Purchases

Edison, PG&E File to Resume Power Purchases

<h3>Utility: Move key to getting state out of electricity-buying business. PUC showdown is expected.</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric told state utility regulators that they must be able to sign long-term contracts and pass electricity price spikes on to customers if the utilities are to resume power purchases that the state has been</p>
U.S. BANKRUPTCY COURT HAS COMPETING PG&E AND CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION REORGANIZATION PLANS; SETS MID-JUNE TARGET DATE TO BEGIN SOLICITING CREDITOR

U.S. BANKRUPTCY COURT HAS COMPETING PG&E AND CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION REORGANIZATION PLANS; SETS MID-JUNE TARGET DATE TO BEGIN SOLICITING CREDITOR

<p class="source">Foster Natural Gas Report</p> <p>The U.S. Bankruptcy Court in San Francisco, with jurisdiction over the Chapter 11 bankruptcy procedure and reorganization of Pacific Gas & Electric Co., has before it two contradictory reorganization proposals from PG&E and the California Public Utility</p>
State GOP Sought Donations From Enron;

State GOP Sought Donations From Enron;

<h3>Politics: Requests brought in $50,000 during probe of the energy firm.</h3><p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Republican legislative leaders solicited tens of thousands of dollars in campaign donations from Enron Corp. even as the state government was investigating the company and other producers suspected of price gouging and market manipulation during last year</p>
Calif. consumer group blasts reworked Calpine deals

Calif. consumer group blasts reworked Calpine deals

<p class="source">Megawatt Daily</p> <p>A California consumer group criticized the announced state savings by Gov. Gray Davis' renegotiated power deals with Calpine, and other companies, that cut the state's $43 billion long-term contract bill by $3.5-billion as "vastly overstated."</p>
Critics lambaste new energy deals;

Critics lambaste new energy deals;

<h3>Worth more politically, they say</h3><p class="source">The San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>Eight reworked energy contracts unveiled this week won't save California consumers much money and still lock the state into needless round-the-clock power purchases, consumer advocates said yesterday.</p>
Contracts called a wash for ratepayers;

Contracts called a wash for ratepayers;

<h3>Renegotiated Power Deals Include $200 Million Trade-off In New Payments To Calpine</h3><p class="source">San Jose Mercury News</p> <p>The state's renegotiated power contracts include more than $200 million in new upfront payments to San Jose's Calpine in exchange for an agreement to shorten two high-cost deals, a trade-off consumer advocates said does little to benefit ratepayers.</p>
State energy contracts reworked;

State energy contracts reworked;

<h3>Davis Sees $3.5 Billion Saved In Decade; Effect On Consumer Bills Unclear</h3><p class="source">San Jose Mercury News</p> <p>Under fire for overpriced electricity contracts, Gov. Gray Davis announced eight renegotiated deals Monday with San Jose's Calpine Corp. and four other energy companies that he said will shave $3.5 billion off the state's power bill over the next 10 yea</p>