Energy

Calif. Overcharged $6.2B for Power

March 22, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Associated Press</p> <p>California intensified scrutiny of soaring power prices Thursday, with grid managers accusing wholesalers of overcharging $6.2 billion and the state auditor blaming buyers and sellers for skyrocketing costs.</p>

Energy Mess II: This one belongs to the governor

March 21, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>Gov. Gray Davis' recent statement that if he'd wanted to raise electricity rates he could have fixed California's energy mess in 20 minutes may become one of those phrases that haunt politicians to the end of their careers.</p>

EDITORIAL; LIGHTS OUT, SACRAMENTO

March 21, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>THE STATE CAN'T EVEN IDENTIFY ITS ELECTRICITY PROBLEMS, LET ALONE FIX THEM</h3><p class="source">The Daily News of Los Angeles</p> <p>FOR the past three months, conventional wisdom has been that Sacramento was spending $45 million a day to keep the lights on.</p>

Bailout Watch #22 – Mar 20, 2001

March 21, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<strong>BAILOUT WATCH: Keeping an eye on the energy industry and the politicians<br/> <br/> Bailout Watch #22 - Mar 20, 2001<br/> <br/> The sleeping giant is awakened.</strong> Until yesterday, the great population center known to its...

Rolling blackouts again plague the Golden State

March 20, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Contra Costa Times</p> <p>The financial collapse of the electric utilities spilled out into the power grid on Monday as money problems contributed to the most widespread outages in California since the term "rolling blackouts" became part of the state's lexicon.</p>

ROLLING BLACKMAIL?

March 20, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>SOUTHLAND'S FIRST ROTATING OUTAGES PROMPT CHARGES OF PRICE-FIXING, COLLUSION</h3><p class="source">The Daily News of Los Angeles</p> <p>Rolling power blackouts hit Southern California for the first time Monday as critics claimed the shortage was engineered by electricity generators to hold the state hostage.</p>

More Rolling Blackouts in Heat-Stricken California

March 20, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The New York Times</p> <p>In a preview of summer trouble, a heat wave combined with the sudden failure of two large power generators prompted hours of rotating blackouts today from San Francisco to Beverly Hills.</p>

CALIFORNIA HIT BY BLACKOUTS DUE TO ENERGY CRISIS

March 20, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>SAN FRANCISCO MAYOR WILLIE BROWN TALKS ABOUT ENERGY CRISIS IN CALIFORNIA</h3><p class="source">GOOD MORNING AMERICA</p> <p>FORD: And we are joined this morning from San Francisco by Mayor Willie Brown. Mayor Brown, good morning. Mayor WILLIE BROWN: Good morning. How are you, Jack? FORD: Good, thank you. Probably a little bit better than you folks are out there t</p>

Blackouts hit county; Plant fire, heat strain system statewide

March 20, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Diego Union-Tribune</p> <p>From San Diego to Eureka, more than 1 million Californians endured power outages yesterday as warm weather created an unexpected surge in demand that stressed the state's power grid and provided a scary glimpse of what might happen this summer.</p>

Bailout Watch #21 – Special Report: The Manufactured Energy Crisis – Mar 19, 2001

March 20, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<strong>BAILOUT WATCH:  Keeping an eye on the energy industry and the politicians<br/> <br/> Bailout Watch #21 - Special Report: The Manufactured Energy Crisis - Mar 19, 2001</strong><br/> <br/> Do you think it was just a coincidence...

State may have claim on further overbilling; $55 million in refunds possible for February

March 17, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Diego Union-Tribune</p> <p>Federal energy regulators said again yesterday that California may have paid too much for power, this time citing some $55 million in possible overcharges during February that could be subject to refund.</p>

State will spend $51 million for energy consultants and ad campaign

March 16, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Associated Press</p> <p>Gov. Gray Davis will spend more than $51 million over two years on consultants to help negotiate power contracts and on an advertising campaign to educate the public about energy conservation.</p>