Latest Energy Releases

United Press International

A consumer group sympathetic to environmental interests said Wednesday the gasoline price hikes of the summer of 2000 could become an annual event unless the federal government intervenes.

San Francisco Chronicle

A government watchdog group launched a legal maneuver yesterday to oust one of the state's five utility commissioners because he invested nearly $10,000 in a mobile-phone company his agency regulates.

Stockton Record

A second major utility has announced its intention to bill customers for costs associated with this summer's skyrocketing power prices, but consumer advocates tried to throw up a roadblock Tuesday by injecting the issue into state political races.

San Diego Union Tribune

The crisis caused by electrical deregulation -- which has blown budgets across San Diego -- is now leading Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric to press for approval to back-charge their customers more than $4 billion for this summer's pr

Counties resist pressure to reduce valuations

San Francisco Chronicle

Companies that bought up power plants under the state's deregulation program are now filing challenges to county tax assessments, arguing in some cases that the plants are worth only a fraction of their sale prices.

Higher charges will be sought, but CEO says they would be spread out

San Jose Mercury News

PG&E may seek to lift a state cap on Northern California's electric rates later this year, the company's top official said Wednesday, potentially exposing consumers to rate hikes months earlier than the utility company had indicated last week.

PUC to hear companies' plans to pass costs onto customers

Stockton Record

The California Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday opened a door that could allow utilities to double the price their customers pay for electricity despite a state-imposed rate freeze.

Sacramento Bee

With their final adjournment scheduled for midnight tonight, state legislators are in a frantic, last-minute struggle to ease the sky-high electric bills enraging San Diego-area residents and head off possible rate increases for millions of other Californ

Associated Press

A rescue plan for San Diego's strapped utility customers moved through the Legislature on Wednesday night, offering a $150 million bailout, lower rates and a speedup in power plant construction.

Los Angeles Times

Camped in Sacramento to plead for relief from electricity bills that have cost San Diegans hundreds of million of dollars extra this summer, San Diego County supervisors on Monday attacked Gov. Gray Davis' proposed rate relief plan as a sham.

As they munch on smoked duck ravioli and Squid ink tagliolini at a chic Italian eatery tonight (8/14) hosted by the Sempra energy conglomerate, DNC officials might pause between courses to consider the plight of utility ratepayers 120 miles to the south.

Energy: Reacting to complaints about soaring costs in San Diego County, they plan to consider amending, delaying or killing deregulation bill

Los Angeles Times

Faced with growing public outrage over soaring utility bills in San Diego and southern Orange County, state legislators Thursday agreed to hold a hearing on whether to amend, delay or even repeal the utility deregulation bill blamed for the increases.

Los Angeles Times

In the first of a series of oil industry reports likely to rekindle consumer charges of profiteering, Occidental Petroleum Corp. said Wednesday that its profit surged to a record high

Energy: Soaring Profit Reflects Run- Up In Cost Of Crude Oil From A Year Ago. Other Companies Are Expected To Report Similar Results.

Los Angeles Times

In the first of a series of oil industry reports likely to rekindle consumer charges of profiteering, Occidental Petroleum Corp. said Wednesday that its profit surged to a record high.

Long-term contract would lock in prices

San Diego Union Tribune

The proponents of electrical deregulation in California -- who promised that open markets would bring an array of consumer choices and lower prices -- are now encouraging San Diego to contract for years with a single power provider at prices likely far hi