City spurned mandate for public power, S.F. stuck with high energy rates, risk of blackouts

SF Chronicle ^ | 9/16/2002 | Chuck Finnie, Susan Sward, Chronicle Staff Writers

[randita]

The story of Hetch Hetchy Water and Power reflects the stunning betrayal of a civic vision.

Eighty-nine years ago, Congress allowed San Francisco to dam the Tuolumne River and flood part of Yosemite National Park - on the condition that it provide inexpensive hydroelectric power to San Franciscans.

[randita]

What amazes me is that SF throughly screwed up the little control they had over their power, but now they want to control it all. If I lived in SF, I'd be getting out of there as fast as my legs could carry me.

[snopercod]

PG&E San Francisco $70.51

The high price of electricity in SF couldn't have anything to do with their draconian emission limits (tightest in the nation), could it? Naaaaaahhhhhhh....

[Robert357]

In San Francisco, you now have a situation where you are getting closer and closer to the brink without anyone in the last four or five years planning what to do about it," said Carl Weinberg, a technology consultant who was head of PG&E's research and development program in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Making matters worse, the two aging power stations at Hunters Point and Potrero - made up of natural gas-burning and diesel-fired plants - release nitrogen oxides and other pollutants in excess of federal Clean Air Act limits taking effect in 2005.

You know very well that there is a connection between the air emission limits and the energy crisis in California. This article provides good documentation of that link that nobody in the press seems to want to focus attension upon.

Yes, the good folks in SF have messed things up pretty badly. As a former SF resident during the 70's, I am glad I got the heck out of there.

[CometBaby]

The first thing we all need to understand is that SF refused to build any nuclear energy plants, demanded envirowacko policies up the ying yang .. and now they want taxpayers to subsidize their electric bills? Give me a break!!!!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Even more detail on how well the Democrats manage enterprises!

And Davis , Freeman think a Stateowned Power Company would be just ducky!

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