Energy

San Onofre bailout under growing fire

California’s powerful, politically connected giant electricity utilities are used to getting their way and to getting help when things go wrong. When an ineptly designed state power “deregulation” law exposed Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison and San Diego

CA gas spikes raise hackles

James Poulos July 14, 2015

California gas prices have once again jumped out to dramatic highs, setting consumers on edge and reopening old questions about who’s to blame. Some analysts, including those at GasBuddy.com, pointed a finger at foreign wholesalers, while others, such as Trilby Lundberg, said

Bill establishes new subsidy for biomass power plants

Josephine Djuhana July 5, 2015

Legislators seek to establish a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which would be funded by the cap and trade program adopted by the California Air Resources Board under AB32, and appropriate those dollars to the California Energy Commission to subsidize biomass

PUC board dissident has dubious history with PG&E

Chris Reed July 1, 2015

A member of the California Public Utilities Commission board who has attempted to establish himself as a critic of the PUC status quo by criticizing the scandal-ridden agency’s push for a much flatter electricity-pricing tier system could have a tough

SCOTUS decision rolls back EPA authority

Josephine Djuhana June 30, 2015

On Monday, the Supreme Court struck down the Environmental Protection Agency’s restriction of power plants’ emissions of mercury and other air pollutants in a 5-4 vote. The premise of Michigan v. EPA was whether the agency could refuse to consider

CA regulators debut new energy rules

James Poulos June 19, 2015

Placing a big bet on solar power and new regulations, state officials have rolled out ambitious new requirements aimed at slashing energy use in newly-constructed homes. “Buildings built in California starting in 2016 will have to comply with the nation’s toughest

NFIB opposes four Sacramento bills

CalWatchdog Staff June 10, 2015

Here’s the analysis of four pieces of legislation in the California State Assembly and Senate by the National Federation of Independent Business California. The NFIB opposes all four bills. These bills were introduced by Democratic legislators. Assembly Bill 464: Transaction and use taxes: maximum combined

Money and costs become central theme of cap and trade

Joel Fox June 9, 2015

When discussing California’s landmark cap-and-trade legislation set up to pay for carbon emissions, there is more conversation about money than there is about climate change. How much will the program cost? How will the money be spent? How will the

Is another bold CA energy strategy flopping?

Chris Reed June 1, 2015

In December 2000, Californians suffered a rare ordeal: rolling blackouts in a cool month instead of the blackouts seen intermittently in summer because of heavy air conditioning use overtaxing the state’s energy grid. The Golden State’s struggle to keep the

Rising electric rates spark CA fight

James Poulos June 1, 2015

A new plan under consideration by the state Public Utilities Commission has Californians up in arms over the prospect of higher rates for less electricity usage. Dueling schemes “Under the current rules, homes served by Southern California Edison pay higher prices