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-Short Attention Span Theater-
Get ready for brownouts, California moves to ban "dirty" electricity sources
2007-01-26
EFL

SAN FRANCISCO - California regulators approved rules Thursday banning power companies from buying electricity from high-polluting sources, including most out-of-state coal-burning plants.
I guess they'll be leaving more than their hearts in San Fran now, eh? Of course, as cool as it is there, I guess it doesn't concern these regulators.

The rules _ aimed at reducing emissions of heat-trapping gases linked to global warming _ could have a far-reaching effect on the energy market across the West.
You don't say, Sherlock? I'd imagine though, that those "dirty" power plants will find somewhere else to sell their electricity. I just weep for the chilluns, the older and the infirm as brownouts will definitely hit Cali this summer.

While there are almost no coal-fired plants in California, the nation's most populous state, about 20 percent of the state's electricity comes from coal plants in other Western states.
So, you've already had supply issues, and you move to "ban" 20% more of your imported electricity? Nice move. And, I bet they won't allow nuclear power, wind power off of L.A. or even LNG or gassification either. How progressive of them, right back to the Stone Age.

"It represents a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to address the challenge of climate change," said Michael Peevey, president of the Public Utilities Commission.
Nice that he used "climate change" when the title of the story references "global warming." You'd think the progressives could get their stories straight.
Posted by:BA

#16  Poseurs of the first order.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2007-01-26 23:31  

#15  If all else fails, Californians can always surf the internet by candlelight.
Posted by: badanov   2007-01-26 20:03  

#14  first brownout this rule gets canned. Fucking preening by the faux-morally-vain and criminally stupid. I'm sure Al Gore will take responsibility when the State's economy tanks?
Posted by: Frank G   2007-01-26 19:14  

#13  California actually imports about 65% of its power. Since it is virtually impossible to build new plants in the state, all growth in demand must be met from out of state, predominantly the four corners and Wyoming.

Electricity is fungible and power from gas fired plants can be routed to Ca to reduce its consumption of electricity powered by coal. That will give California the higher priced solution, however. Heating and cooling bills are already very expensive in the Golden State, but I guess our politicians figure they are not high enough.

Gonna make those electric cars less economical as well.
Posted by: DoDo   2007-01-26 13:27  

#12  Built using 100% recycled electrons!
Posted by: mojo   2007-01-26 13:14  

#11  The bill comes due in June, July and August when blackouts will force Californians to buy $1 kWh electricity from Texas standby generators. I probably should buy some TXU stock about now.
Posted by: ed   2007-01-26 12:20  

#10  Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.

I remember reading that the first trip thru the 'berg on a detour from LGF, never left.
Posted by: Shipman   2007-01-26 11:56  

#9  For some reason this reminds me of Fred's note on the front page:

Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Posted by: Seafarious   2007-01-26 11:47  

#8  
There is so little in common between northern and southern California that perhaps California should be partitioned into two or three states.


Better idea: Blue California becomes a territory without represntatives and without vote for Presidential elevctions.
Posted by: JFM   2007-01-26 11:42  

#7  And they wonder why business are fleeing in droves....
Posted by: DarthVader   2007-01-26 10:49  

#6  So power generated from coal burning plants gets rerouted elsewhere and power from clean plants gets rerouted to California. Same energy production, no change in global warming at all. But the energy bills and smugness factor increase in California.

Really well thought out plan. Idiots.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2007-01-26 10:43  

#5  I think it's great that Cali power companies can only buy clean electrons. After all, who wants coal dust coming in thru the wall outlets?

Considering that electricity is the invention of dead white males, hopefully Californians will have the courage to lead the way in banning the use of electricity altogether. It is unforgiveable that the product of patriarchal science and its inherent colonial oppression is forced into people's homes by a state-run monopoly.
Posted by: SteveS   2007-01-26 10:39  

#4  California keeps making me remember that book by Pournelle, Niven and Flynn? called Fallen Angels, where the government is crushing people in the name of global warming while Glaciers march through the northern states.

The other thing that comes to mind is the phrase, "Mind boggling stupidity."

Of course, it IS California, so that phrase fits in lots of ways.
Posted by: Silentbrick   2007-01-26 10:20  

#3  We are whitnessing the de-evolution of a great state. This was the state that brought us Regan, now with the Berkley crews they will make it an illegal haven, roving power outages, btw how will they manage that when they are tied to a national grid???, and a budget that is in collaps. Industry is pulling away already, crime will continue to rise and it wont be long before Tijuana and San Diego look the same. Good luck to the survivors of the Golden state and please bring the American flag with you when you leave.
Posted by: 49 Pan   2007-01-26 10:05  

#2  Maybe they'll put a rider in that they can only buy it at night...
Posted by: tu3031   2007-01-26 10:02  

#1  Stories like this induce musing about secession in places like San Diego. There is so little in common between northern and southern California that perhaps California should be partitioned into two or three states.

San Francisco and the Bay Area deserve to be isolated from the rest of the country. Since the SF pols are so fond of illegal immigrants, maybe we should offer them to Mexico in exchange for actual border enforcement.
Posted by: RWV   2007-01-26 10:01  

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