Energy

Brown’s Dirty Hands

August 1, 2016  ·  Liza Tucker

consumerwatchdog.org BROWN’S DIRTY HANDS 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Governor Jerry Brown paints himself a foe of climate change. But an exhaustive review of company donations, publicly released emails and documents at PUCPapers.org court filings, and media reports show that…

Wholesale California Gasoline Prices Plunge, Consumers Still Pay Up

July 29, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p><span id="articleText"><span class="focusParagraph">Wholesale gasoline in California became the cheapest in the country this week, but that change has largely gone unseen at the pump, where consumers are still paying the highest prices in the continental United States to fill up their cars.</span></span></p> <p><span id="articleText">Ample inventories along with relatively stable refinery operations and imports has driven down the spot value of gasoline in Los Angeles at the wholesale level by more than 60 cents since mid-June.</span></p>

Tesla: Autopilot Was Not Engaged In Pa. Crash

July 15, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Autopilot was not the cause of an accident involving a Southfield art gallery owner earlier this month in Pennsylvania, according to Tesla Motor Inc. CEO Elon Musk.</p> <p>The head of the Palo Alto, California-based electric vehicle manufacturer tweeted Thursday afternoon that “Onboard vehicle logs show Autopilot was turned off” in Albert Scaglione’s 2016 Model X when it crashed and rolled over on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. “Moreover,” Musk tweeted, “crash would not have occurred if it was on.”</p>

Integrated Electrical Grid Could Save Consumers, Businesses $1.5 Billion Annually, Report Finds

July 12, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p class="content__segment">By tying together multiple independent electrical grids in the West, California could meet its goal of generating 50 percent of its energy from renewable sources and save consumers and businesses up to $1.5 billion a year by 2030, according to a new report.</p> <p class="content__segment">The report was released by the Folsom-based California Independent System Operator, which manages about 80 percent of the electric grid in California.</p>

Study Says Expansion Of California’s Electric Grid Would Lower Rates

July 12, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>The manager of the state’s electric grid released studies Tuesday that show its proposed expansion would yield annual consumer savings of as much as $1.5 billion by 2030 and help with the state’s goal of 50% renewable energy by then.</p> <p>The California Independent System Operator, which produced the nearly 700 pages of reports under a mandate by state lawmakers, said expanding its operations to include more Western states would result in a more efficient electric grid system.</p>

State Attorney General Investigating Potential Price Collusion By Oil Producers

July 11, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>California’s top prosecutor is investigating whether major oil refiners defrauded consumers by colluding to boost gas prices above what the rest of the country paid last year after the shutdown of the ExxonMobil refinery.</p> <p>The inquiry by Attorney General Kamala Harris comes in the wake of a report by the nonprofit group Consumer Watchdog that accused refiners of improperly hiding market data and blocking imports that would have stabilized soaring gas prices after the 15-month shutdown at ExxonMobil in Torrance.</p>

State Investigating Why Californians Pay More For Gas

July 11, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

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Tesla Motors, Inc.: Consumer Watchdog Wants Autopilot Feature Disabled

July 11, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p><b>Consumer Watchdog sends a letter to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, saying that the Autopilot should be disabled as it is not safe for the roads</b></p>

Elon Musk Tweet Hints About Tesla ‘Master Plan’

July 11, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Facing increased scrutiny recently about the safety of the Autopilot feature on his company's cars, Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk over the weekend hinted at a coming announcement about a "Top Secret Tesla Masterplan, Part 2."</p> <p>Tesla Motors' original master plan was detailed by Musk in a 2006 blog post describing his goal to "help expedite the move from a mine-and-burn hydrocarbon economy towards a solar electric economy." In a tweet yesterday morning, Musk said he hoped to publish an update to the plan "later this week."</p>

Will California Catch Oil Industry Price-Fixing?

July 6, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

Given stubborn premium, investigators may find market manipulation this time California Attorney General Kamala Harris is investigating whether major oil refiners have artificially inflated retail...

Consumer Advocate: Harris Hesitated to Confront Big Oil Over Gas Price Gouging

July 4, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>California Attorney General Kamala Harris has come around to confronting the big oil refineries over the big price gap between what we pay for gas here in California and what motorists pay in the rest of the country.  But she took her time to get around to it, says Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court.</p> <p>“She’s a very cautious attorney general. I mean we’ve written probably two dozen letters over the years and very few of them get answered. I haven’t seen a lot of action out of this office. I’m glad we’re seeing it now.</p>

Suspected Price Gouging By Oil Companies Has California Attorney General’s Attention

July 1, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p><b>2015's high gas prices across California could have CA Atty General's office probing into suspected $10 billion gouging by state refineries.</b></p> <p>Santa Monica, CA —Do you still flinch when you're filling up? Last year, California drivers were gouged to the tune of $10 billion at the pump last year, according to the Santa Monica consumer advocacy group Consumer Watchdog .</p> <p>They reacted on June 30 to a Wall Street Journal report on California Attorney General Kamala Harris' probe into the high prices Californians paid for gasoline last summer.</p>