Letter
From the Editor
Don’t
Be Left in the Dark
OK,
so California Gov. Gray Davis wasn’t very helpful during his first year in
office when he kept saying there isn’t an energy crisis. Now he has recognized
reality and is saying politically correct things like, If everyone conserves it
will be OK. Or how about this gem: It’s the president’s fault for not talking
action.
Along
with everyone else, I am learning to live with this problem and the threat of
blackouts. The small things I have done include not taking elevators and
backing up my work more often on my desktop computer in the office. My portable
with its natural battery backup is looking better all the time.
Now that it has been established
that there is a problem, I think it’s time we confronted it. For instance we
all should know some basics about California’s power requirements. How much do
we get from out of state and how about those guys who say windmills can solve
our problems? What do you say to them? Well it turns out that the state
provides much of this information online. Check http://www.energy.ca.gov/electricity/gross_system_power.html
and you will find that only 1.24% of our power is generated by the wind. Solar
is even worse at 0.3%. Natural gas, hydroelectric, nuclear and coal are
carrying most of the weight.
How about our total power
requirements? 49.5% of our petroleum comes from California and 24.8% from
Alaska. Don’t forget that we import 25.7% from foreign countries. In 2000 we
imported 18% of our electricity. Find the details at http://www.energy.ca.gov/html/energysources.html.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/sep/ca/frame.html), California ranks third in the nation in production of crude oil; 11th in production of natural gas; third in net generation of hydroelectric power, and sixth in nuclear electricity. While it ranks second in the total amount of energy consumed, it ranks 48th in the amount consumed per person.
The
answer is clear: build more power plants. If we are 48th in per
person use of power, then we are already conserving.
For
some more important energy facts, check out http://www.energy.ca.gov/html/calif_energy_facts.html.
Ever
wonder why the price of gas is higher in Northern California than in southern?
Check the government’s answer to this question at http://www.energy.ca.gov/gasoline/q-and-a.html.
Remember these answers are one version of the truth. They go to the trouble to
mention that Ronald Reagan took away price controls on gasoline so the state
could not fix the price. Two ways to look at that: he took away a powerful tool
from the government and probably took away the chances we will have to wait in
gas lines.
If
you want to follow the moment-by-moment energy usage in the state, click on http://www.caiso.com/SystemStatus.html.
Hit refresh to get the up-to-the-minute numbers and see where we are versus the
projection for the day. Click on the warnings if your stomach can take it.
We energy consumers should demand
more information. This is a difficult situation, but we shouldn’t be kept in
the dark. How about an energy forecast? Not a lot different from a weather
forecast. A Public Utilities Commission Web notice of impending doom would
help. Five minutes could save your ass in some situations. How about an e-mail warning
of an impending blackout to everyone who would like one? They don’t shut fire
departments down, but fire fighters aren’t the only ones who need power or
could use a warning.
wiz@wwwiz.com