[cdn-nucl-l] Conservation or energy crises? CALIFORNIA ON VERGE OF BALCKOUTS

["Jerry Cuttler" <jerrycuttler@home.com>]

Why is this an energy crises?
Isn't this what energy conservation is all about?  We just need more
blankets.
Barry Commoner would be so happy.
Jerry

----- Original Message -----
From: Gene Cramer <marc832@primenet.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list ans-pie <ans-pie@nuke-ans.org>
Sent: Friday, December 08, 2000 2:26 PM
Subject: Energy Looking Glass 2000dec8 CALIFORNIA ON VERGE OF BALCKOUTS


> CALIFORNIA ENERGY CRISIS: ON THE VERGE OF BLACKOUTS
> Orange County CA REGISTER 2000dec8  front page
> picture of inside aisles of Costco food warehouse dimly lit.
>
> California's first ever Stage 3 alert was called, freeing
> emergency >federal< power supplies, as fifteen hundred companies (with
> interruptible rates) were again told to reduce consumption. (Main article
> is what spokespeople for companies said).
>
> Stage 3 alert was when reserves fell below 1,000megawatts, even though the
> peak was 31,604 -- well below last winter's peak of 34,600.
>
> Next Monday is feared because winter freezing temperatures are expect to
> hit Pacific Northwest, which will then have no power to export.
>
> Governor Gray Davis spoke with various officials seeking ways to ease the
> crisis. Environmental standards were relaxed to allow plants such as
> Huntington Beach LLC (an AES Corp. plant) to fire up , shut down since
> mid-November. At $40/MBTU natural gas, these plants cannot make a profit
> selling electricity with price caps of $250/MWhr (25 cents /kwhr)
>