[NCDoc]

If I remember correctly, it was Pete Wilson who signed the legislation that required PG&E and Southern California Edison to sell their power plants to "power producers". The unrealistic idea was that there would then be a free and competitive market for electricity at the wholesale/producers level.

The problems were a) the market could never be truly free because of inadequate capacities, and b) the idiots who bought into it (Wilson and others) didn't realize that energy prices on an unregulated market can go up as well as down, WAY UP.

Grey Davis did a terrible job, as you say, but short of re-regulation there was no way to prevent the astronomical energy prices seen in California once prices were deregulated in the face of inadequate production and transmission capacities.

[d14truth]

"If I remember correctly, it was Pete Wilson who signed the legislation that required PG&E and Southern California Edison to sell their power plants to "power producers". The unrealistic idea was that there would then be a free and competitive market for electricity at the wholesale/producers level."

I remember it that way, too. The 'competitive market' envisioned never developed because the PUC 'fixed' the retail price so low that the wholesale market had no working margin, and no 'new' supply (enviro whackos stalling generating plants). The liberal PUC's blocked the competitive market, and then pass that buck back on Pete Wilson.

Liars and deceivers who never take fault for their 'part' in the matter. -- DUMP DAVIS!!!