Not Enough Power Reserves in CA on Sunday (Oops, I did it Again, the Cal ISO theme song)

WESTERN ELECTRICITY COORDINATING COUNCIL DAILY REPORT ^ | December 9, 2002 | WESTERN ELECTRICITY COORDINATING COUNCIL

[Robert357]

Sunday’s Notable Events: From 1857 to 1917, the California ISO was deficient in spinning reserve, to a maximum of 190 MW.

[Robert357]

OK, so a little before and after 7PM the Cal ISO couldn't keep track of load and generation to the point that it maintained adequate reserves. No problem. They just leaned on their neighboring load control areas endangering power in other regions.

I can't wait for the federal litigation to end and FERC to change the leadership control of the California ISO. The California ISO is going to cause a west coast blackout. They just are not to be trusted with running a power reliability and transmission system. They seem to have no concern about keeping the lights on and things operating within proper procedures. But after all what do I expect from an organization that is under the handpicked control of Gov Davis......

[Robert357]

Thought you might be entertained by how the Cal ISO is performing.

One would think that Gov. Davis or someone in a political postiion of authority in California would want these guys to perform properly.

Oh course maybe they like the entertainment factor and suspence in waiting for blackouts during none peak periods of the year.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Davis spent $20 billion to acquire power at during the
last energy shortage. This is reflected in the deficit
(except they will tell us that the shortfall is due
to the failure of California dotcoms).

[Robert357]

Davis spent $20 billion to acquire power at during the last energy shortage. This is reflected in the deficit (except they will tell us that the shortfall is due to the failure of California dotcoms).

Yes, the expensive power that Davis took credit for is being spread to current and future power bills. This makes California business a little less competitive in US and World markets. It also makes firms operating in CA a bit more expensive to run. That in turn will just be one more reason that the economic recovery will take a little longer in CA then in other places (all things being equal).

The power costs are not on the state books except to the extent that California k-12 schools in PG&E and SCE service territories will see higher electric bills. That means that at K-12 schools, they will either need more state money to hold education output constant, or they will need to shift money from educating children to paying for electric power. The same is true of state agencies. So, while the power costs were a problem and do impact the state budget their impact is hidden in higher operating costs of various agencies and hidden in reduced tax revenues from firms that will take longer to recover.

[Dog Gone]

Too bad Davis's PUC voted to put a surcharge on any business or entity that had used direct access to buy their power directly from a producer instead of the utilities.

That's going to put a major whumping on the universities that thought they were saving money.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for the post and watching our troubles here in California!

Calpowercrisis:

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[lewislynn]

So what does any of this have to do with me and my hatred for price gougers? I didn't never voted for Davis. On the other hand I don't want federal contol of my power...even if it's Republican federal control.

I suppose you'd like me to be like you. Just because I have disdain for Davis (and in your case California(ns)), I should bend over and take it from crooks trying to rip me off. Unlike you I can seperate the two...or in your case three.

BTW, other than a local transformer shorting out from a broken tree branch in a wind storm 2yrs ago, I can't remember the last time my electricity was off .

[Robert357]

and watching our troubles here in California

You are welcome. Unfortunately, because the PNW is so tightly tied to California electrically, a major blackout in California could potentially disrupt power up in Oregon and Washington states. So my interest is not just idle curiosity, it is based on self interest and in being able to inform my PNW utility clients.

[Frohickey]

Government should not have any business in generating power and distributing them to consumers. Thats what the businesses are supposed to do.

Me, I think that it is just fitting that the power in Kalifornia is going out. Can't hand the Aztlanters a fully-lit Aztlan... they would be shocked. :)

[Robert357]

So what does any of this have to do with me and my hatred for price gougers?

What it has to do with you; is to show you that power in California, which is under the control of the California Independent System Operator (ISO) is being so poorly run that there is a fair chance there will still be major blackouts in parts of California. There are also old articles in the Sac Bee that show that the California ISO & PX were asking folks like Ernon and others to "raise" (yes, they actually asked Enron to artifically raise its prices higher than necessary) prices and deliver power to non-existent customers.

The point is that a big chunk of what you feel was price gougers, others feel was bad management.

I don't really care if you like me. I would like you to be polite. I would also like you to know that I think you should be much more concerned about the California ISO than the "price gougers."

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Nicely said!

[snopercod]

The FERC hammer drops next month.

[snopercod]

...I don't want federal contol of my power

Typical Californian: "I WANT... I DON'T WANT... GIMMEEGIMMEEGIMMEE".

Look moron, if you won't build plants in your own state and have to buy electricity and natural gas across the border, then those purchases fall under the control of the Federal Government. It's called "Interstate Commerce". You should read about it sometime.

Grow up.

P.S. I don't believe that you didn't vote for Davis.

[NormsRevenge]

Bump

[Amerigomag]

I should bend over and take it from crooks trying to rip me off. Unlike you I can seperate the two...or in your case three.

If you have been a regular on this forum this will be about the 15th time you've read this response but here goes anyway.

There is no crime without a victim. Common sense, right? In the case of the CalPowerCrisis there was, however, a victim. A willing victim. Gray Davis.

Had Davis simply said "NO WAY" at the first hint of gouging the "crime" would have stopped in it's tracks. But this was not the case. First, Davis telegraphed his willingness to play games with the system as outlined by Robert357 above. Second, Davis' desperation to be reelected was well known by all but third graders months before the gouging started. Last, Davis had shown a consistant disregard for his stewardship of public monies during a previous administration.

Not only do I think Davis was complicite in the apparent scheems, I think he invited them.

So yes Lewis I think there is an energy Santa Clause. He's skulking around the California executive mansion as far as the power providers are concerned. No Davis, no long term power crisis of the kind now presented.

Not a hatred for Davis or a willingness to let the feds into my home when I flip the light switch but an understanding that one man, a uninque crook, in a unique circumstance almost singled handily pointed the way to the state's regulatory weaknesses, abetted the gaming and magnaged to turn an inherited, short-sighted, state energy policy into a disasterous state (and posibly regional)economic crisis all for personal, political gain.

[lewislynn]

There is no crime without a victim. Common sense, right? In the case of the CalPowerCrisis there was, however, a victim. A willing victim. Gray Davis.

No that's not true "the victim" is/are the innocent rate payers. But, using your own sentence, stating there's no crime without a victim, then stating Davis the victim, admits, in your own definition of a crime, there actually was a crime. A crime can be committed even on willing victims.

You're contradicting yourself when you claim Davis both the victim and the perpetrator...get it?

And I'll bet money, if Davis was a Republican and California(ns) weren't the state everyone loves to hate you and many other phony defenders of fraud would be singing a different tune.

[Darksheare]

Only in Communist dictatorships, Haiti, Dominican Republic and Third World Countries like Kalifornia do they have rolling blackouts while those in power have all the electricity they want.

Wonder if Gov Davis has had to 'deal with' the power being off himself?

[Amerigomag]

And I'll bet money, if Davis was a Republican and California(ns) weren't the state everyone loves to hate you and many other phony defenders of fraud would be singing a different tune.

Three points:

First, the system that enhanced this mess was adopted under Repulican leadership. Pete Wilson. Political persuasions is not the issue here.

Second, I'm in complete agreement that California rate payers are the victims. But of who's criminal acts? The generator's or Davis'? Is the wolf or the greedy shepard who opened the gate to the pen (on purpose) responsible.

Last, I don't believe that any other individual, whether Democrat or Republican would have acted in the manner that charaterized Davis' actions. The problem is unique to Davis and not the generators. There will always be preditors in a free market system. There is only one Gray Davis.

[Robert357]

The FERC hammer drops next month.

I sure hope so, as the ISO really needs to get its act together before the California heavy summer load season takes place.

[Robert357]

Only in Communist dictatorships, Haiti, Dominican Republic and Third World Countries like Kalifornia do they have rolling blackouts while those in power have all the electricity they want.

Thank you. You just reminded me of one of my favorite quotes from the California Energy crisis.

News/Current Events News Keywords: CA POWER CRISIS Source: Contra Costa Times Published: 5/6/01 Author: Rick Jurgens Posted on 05/06/2001 09:31:26 PDT by randita

Generators, Davis meet Wednesday

POWER CRISIS

* The governor has invited top executives of power suppliers and traders to explain the current disorder

By Rick Jurgens

TIMES STAFF WRITER

When the shareholders of Duke Energy Corp. gathered for the company's annual meeting, Chief Executive Richard Priory likened California's business climate to that of a Third World country:
"It's no different than if it was Ecuador or Peru and we had investment decisions to make in those countries."

Yes, it makes no difference it it is Ecuador, Peru, or California.....