Re: OT- Rush Limbaugh


"Carl A. in FL" <chainfl@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:00b508dd$0$29162$c3e8da3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Max" <thesameoldme@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:N1Xrl.11916$pr6.10489@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


" From November 2000 through May 2001 California experienced a series of planned brownouts to groups of customers, for a limited duration, in order to reduce total system load and avoid a blackout due to alleged electrical shortages. However, an investigation by the California Public Utilities Commission into the alleged shortages later revealed that five energy companies withheld electricity they could have produced. In 2002 the commission concluded that the withholding of electricity contributed to an "unconscionable, unjust, and unreasonable electricity price spike." California state utilities paid $20 billion more for energy in 2000 than in 1999 as a result, the head of the commission found. "

Just to emphasize:

"Unconscionable, unjust, and unreasonable electricity price spike"

But that doesn't eliminate the price increases that Bruce mentioned. It just adds to the "agony". <G>

Max

Max,

try to understand that there is a difference between the price of electricity (cost paid by the utility company when it buys energy off the grid) and the rate that the utility can charge to its customers.

When the price (cost) of electricity goes up, the utility ultimately will need to increase the rates it charges to the consumer. The price may go up because supply is manipulated (e.g. ENRON), external factors such such generating plants being shut down (e.g. pollution abatement), and/or taxes (in pursuit of revenues for the state and/or to support policies such as making coal-based energy outrageously expensive.)

Obama has gone on record of favoring extremely high taxation to run coal burning generating plants out of business. His current spending plans include $1.5 Billion for an Illinois-based "clean coal" experimental plant despite the fact that after having spent $1 Billion on that plant in recent years, the Bush Energy Department decided against further funding of an unfeasible technology.

Alternative (renewable) energy just isn't going to hack it. Read the illuminating article by a real expert at
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123621221496034823.html?mod=djemEditorialPage
--
Carl A. in FL
http://sky.prohosting.com/chainfl/

Carl,
I'm well aware of what you're saying. The "green dreamers" are going to cost us many times more than they can imagine.
But I was reiterating what the Heritage piece had to say about unscrupulous operators taking advantage of the situation just as Enron did.
It wouldn't be unreasonable to guess that a scheme *just* like Enron's would be difficult to pull off because of the experience but that doesn't rule out another scheme just as devious. There are some very clever capitalism manipulators out there. Just a word to the wise.

Max


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