Free Republic

When the heat is on, a power grid sweats Worried regulators plead for conservation as state faces Stage 1 emergency today - Erin Allday and Simone Sebastian, Chronicle Staff Writers Monday, July 24, 2006 Californians did an impressive job conserving energy Sunday, but power regulators are forecasting record energy demands as everyone heads back to work today, making conservation absolutely critical. "While we got through today just fine, we're very concerned about Monday. Everybody goes back to work and cranks on the computer, the coffee machine, the fax machine," said Gregg Fishman, a spokesman for the California Independent System Operator,...

Heat wave conditions this weekend prompted scattered power outages throughout several parts of Orange County, with hundreds of residents going without power for more than 12 hours. Residents in the cities of Fullerton, Irvine, Lake Forest, Santa Ana and Villa Park have reported power interruptions.

PUC lets big users keep cheap deals Critics say the decision means most ratepayers will have to pay more. By Carrie Peyton -- Bee Staff Writer Published 5:30 a.m. PST Friday, March 22, 2002 The big businesses, cities, universities and others who lined up cheap electricity contracts during the state's power crisis can hang onto the deals, but they'll have to pay new fees, utility regulators decided Thursday. In a long-awaited and much-postponed vote, the state Public Utilities Commission backed away from a proposal to void all contracts signed between July 1 and Sept. 20. The 3-2 decision was praised...