You better review your California political history. Claifornia's version of 'deregulation' was socialist inspired.... The California legislature couldn't control the costs the California power companies were paying to out-of-state suppliers, but they could and did control the price those same companies could charge for power to the consumer. Fix income - soaring expenses = bankruptcies... That economics 101 only a socialist couldn't understand.. Then, the same folks who had *SUCCESSFULLY * protested so many years against building more powerplants, all throughout the time the population of California was rapidly growing, now claim corruption because those "evil" capitalist companies made profits on the sale of energy before that 'half-deregulation' was imposed. Classic disinformation. It doesn't suprise me. Folks who think that redistribution of other folks income to themselves is how money is 'earned' don't give a second thought to *demanding* redistribution of power from those states that are prudent in their planning and operation to themselves so they can continue to live the carefree life style at other peoples expense. The Free Lunch is over kiddies. Time to start making prudent plans for the future based on hard-nosed realities. 1) Good planners will allow for generating capacity of at least 20% over average maximum demand, seasonally adjusted. 2) That envolves tracking expected population growths. It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark. 3) Charging sufficient to cover the costs of generation and distirbution and maintanence. While you are at it, put these sobering facts into your calculations: The current generation of teenagers will consume ALL of the worlds supply of Coal, oil and gas, if the consumption continutes to grow at it's current rate. And we are not including the increasing demand of 'Third World' citizens on the consumption rate. Let r(t) = the current metric tons rate of consumption over interval t. Let r(i) = the initial metric ton rate of consumption. Let k = the percentage rate of consumption Let t = the time interval r(t) = r(i) * e^(k*t) Integrate from t = 0 (now) to Tout (total resource, R, is consumed) Int ( r(t))dt = r(i) * int (e^(k*t) ) dt The left side is the total resource, R and the right side is the desired result. R = [r(i)/k] *[e^(k*Tout) - 1] Solve the right side for Tout Tout = ln( [k*(R/r(i))+1] ) / k The current value of k is around 8% The estimated High value for R is 1409 X 10^9 tons The estimated Low value for R is 390 X 10^9 tons r(i) for the year 2000 ? Exercise for the class: look it up and plug it in... Then, for grins, make the High value 10 TIMES bigger. That is, pretend we locate 10 times more RECOVERABLE coal resources than we presently know about. Determine how much longer the coal resource will last. (Hint: an addition 13 years.... that's the lesson of exponential growth.) http://www.wri.org/climate/jm_oil_000.html Now isn't the time to revert to antiquated and moribund Socialist command and control structures. Now is the time to unleash free enterprise and personal initiative, along with a government Manhatten-type energy project, to get efficient, low cost solar power into mass production, and freely share the techology know-how acquired with the rest of the world: Multi-megawatt Solar Power Towers, photovotaic systems for the home, the Hydrogen economy, etc.... http://www.sandia.gov/LabNews/LN06-21-96/barstow.html http://rhlx01.rz.fht-esslingen.de/projects/alt_energy/sol_thermal/powertower... You think energy prices are too high? Too bad.. fossil fuel energy will NEVER again be as cheap as it is now. Mean while we need to cut back on neon lights, outdoor lighting, street lighting (why give the criminals light to see by when residents could use inexpensive and low powered thermal imaging units?) Have a crash program to replace vacum monitors with low power LED monitors. And more... I'm 60 years old... if I live as long as my dad did I'll see the end of the fossil fuel age too. Fortunately, I will also see the beginning of the Hydrogen economy too! (If any of us are around by then) JLK On Wednesday 07 February 2001 16:57, Christopher D. Reimer wrote:
You think that sucks, try living in California with this Capitalism-inspired deregulation process. The six-story building I worked in has to cut power by 10% during the power emergency to receive steep discounts from the power company. So they cut out the heating to the entire building, and it's freezing when there's a storm or cold wind outside. On top of that, my company cuts out the overhead lights to save money on their own energy bills. Now it's dark and freezing most of the time. I would not be surprised to find out if SuSE laid off people because it couldn't pay it's power bill.
Christopher Reimer
On Wed, 7 Feb 2001, Gorden-Ozgul, Patricia E wrote:
I just hate all this stuff. Capitalism sucks at times. The mass majority always suffers. We all have to be like hamsters on the wheel to survive. I've had my say for today. Pat ...just another silly American enduring my ride.
-- "God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of people that these liberties are a gift of God? Thomas Jefferson - 1781