California Bans Coal and Oil Fired Power Plants (real title: Governor signs scores of bills)

San Jose Mercury News ^ | 9/20/06 | Steven Harmon, Barbara Feder and Paul Rogers

[ProtectOurFreedom]

SB 1368, another environmental measure, prohibits California utilities from buying electricity from out-of-state companies unless it was generated through measures that produce no greater greenhouse gas emissions than electricity generated from natural-gas-fired power plants.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

This is a "companion bill" to AB 32, the well-known California global warming bill. With SB 1368, California has effectively banned all oil and coal fired power plants, not only inside California, but outside as well. The bill prohibits any utility from entering into a long-term (3 or more years) financial contract for power generated by coal or oil.

[Fighting Irish]

They considered going it with Hamster power but the danged environmentalist wouldn't hear of it.

[Doogle]

woo hoo...more coal for us

:)


Doogle

[Bigh4u2]

Which means that most electric available to them is either Gas, HydroElectric or Nuclear.

And we already know where they stand on the Nuclear option..

Sound's like California is going to have a lot of 'brown outs' and 'Blackouts' in the not to distant future.

[Red Badger]

That is the STUPIDEST IDEA in the world. When Californians are sweltering in their darkened homes and can't cook meals they might wake up and realize what a sham they have created.......

[Leatherneck_MT]

I know we have some good freepers here from Cali, but could ya'll just move out of there to say.. oh.. Colorado so we can fence off the rest of that whacked out state?

Let the jackasses have it, it's going to fall off into the ocean anyway, maybe we could get a few hundred thousand more libs to move there before it does :P

[DTogo]

California's also full of NIMBYs who don't want more wind turbines either.

Indeed, there's going to be massive outages and/or the prices are going to soar through the roof - until they then cap prices. Ridiculous.

[RightWhale]

Enviros and young people who have not learned critical thinking tend to say that any step such as building solar or wind plants is all to the good.

[FreePaul]

...prohibits any utility from entering into a long-term (3 or more years) financial contract for power generated by coal or oil.

So they can deal with those nasty old polluters as long as they do it in less than three year increments? In any case this would seem to increase the cost of power to California. OK by me as long as they are willing to pay for it.

[Bogtrotter52]

"they might wake up and realize what a sham they have created......."

Before that happens I am betting the state would attempt to get more power from plants in states right over the line like here in AZ.

[nathanbedford]

Is this an unconstitutional regulation of interstate trade which lies in the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal Congress ?

[alnitak]

prohibits California utilities from buying electricity from out-of-state companies unless it was generated through measures that produce no greater greenhouse gas emissions than electricity generated from natural-gas-fired power plants.

Putting aside the stupidity of the legislation for one moment, it at least is logically consistent, in that it prevents California from exporting its fossil fuel based production to other states. In other words, they can't preen themselves over their "green" credentials while exporting pollution to neighbouring states.

[Red Badger]

Are you nuclear, natural gas or hydro?......

[isthisnickcool]

California appears to be going out of business.

[OrioleFan]

They're gonna film the next Jackass movie in the California State Legislature.

[thackney]

Before that happens I am betting the state would attempt to get more power from plants in states right over the line like here in AZ.

This legislation restricts what type of generation is used when buying that power. I understand it can be coal, but it must be a "clean" coal technology.

[art_rocks]

They should also reject all power made from coal or oil fired power plants.

Talk about NIMBY.

[Fee]

When the demand for non greenhouse generators go up and there is a limited supply, not only is CA going to suffer brownouts and blackouts, the consumer energy bill will also go up. CA politicians will blame the utility companies for their own failed policies. CA is going to go thru economic/energy hell before it will wake up.

[kenth]

More power to me.

Leftists are fine so long as they aren't allowed to play with sharp objects or enact legislation.

[Bigh4u2]

"CA is going to go thru economic/energy hell before it will wake up."

Yep. The shadow of 'Grey Davis' lives on.