Most populous state in the Union lets Huge Utility quash Clean Energy

[truedelphi]

California's P G & E has paid for volunteers to get signatures so that it can have a referendum on the coming election cycle's ballot.

Although the initiative will be worded in such a way as to allow the Consumer to think that voting for this matter will ensure the safety of the planet and also protect their pocket book, in fact, this initiative will put the brakes on solar and wind energy.

Here is a recent story regarding this carefully strategized legislation:(from http://www.sfbg.com/2010/02/03/pge-kicks-press-out-debate?page=0,0)

It sounded like a great story: a representative of Pacific Gas and Electric Co. agreed to a public debate over the merits of a ballot initiative the company essentially had paid to place on the California ballot. The measure seeks to curtail public power and clean energy in the state. And so far, PG&E has been loathe to discuss it in any open forum. But on Jan. 27, PG&E's political consultant, David Townsend, was scheduled to square off with state Sen. Mark Leno, a staunch foe of the measure, before what sounded like a great audience: the Northern California Power Agency, which represents 17 public power providers across the state.

At Sacramento's Doubletree Inn, I headed to the lobby of the California Ballroom, where I found a woman sitting at a table adorned with the logo of the NCPA. "I'm a reporter here to cover the debate between Sen. Mark Leno and a representative from PG&E," I said. "Would this be the right place?"

She smiled politely. Sorry, she said, you have to be an NCPA member and registered for the conference. "I was invited by the senator," I told her. "Then you will have to wait until he gets here," she said curtly. I walked upstairs to the front desk — and just then, Leno walked through the main lobby's sliding doors. I introduced myself, walked with him to the conference room, and quickly slipped in with some other attendees. Within three minutes, a man sitting next to me was called to the side by a steward who whispered something to him, and then just as quickly, returned to his seat. He turned to me.
<snip> Now the full story can be found here:

http://www.sfbg.com/2010/02/03/pge-kicks-press-out-debate?page=0,0

[HillbillyBob]

1. just the start i bet.

pigs gouging Californians kicked out the press so they could nt cover the debate. just wait this will be standard precedure as corpses complete the take over of our former democracy
snip
"The senator's remarks were pointed. He noted that PG&E's proposed legislation is not an initiative, but an amendment to the state Constitution. He mentioned the curtailing of free enterprise and a demise of state government. He likened the utility's disrespect for the legislative process to a spit in the face, and at one point openly asked Townsend: "What good is your word?"

The political consultant, for his part, sat quietly. At times he rolled his eyes or bit his thumbs. When Leno was wrapping up, Townsend leaned over to the moderator and whispered something. The moderator then came over to me and said I'd have to leave".

[msongs]

2. if your city is your electric provider PG&E wants to severely penalize any savings and services your

city provides...stacking the deck in favor of PG&E.

PG&E is a corporate terrorist of the worst sort.

Msongs
Riverside CA

btw Riverside has a municipal utlity and we will suffer from PG&E's scam

[truedelphi]

3. Thanks for helping me remember how extensive the network of small cities and

Larger towns that have been the first groups of entities to utilize electric vehicles for their fleets (Palo Alto had electric vehicles way back in early 1980's!)

It really is sad if the PG &E, Enron style, creeps can do this to us.

And we are always the state where solar could succeed - due to the constant summer sun and little rain eight months of the year.

[HillbillyBob]

4. We are on a co op in NC

When I contacted them about what we need to do to put up solar panels the sob laughed at me and said well coal is cheaper.
I have posted many times about making our home more efficient with the idea that if we can get it good enough we will go off grid.
Every time I see one of these things, it just hardens my resolve.

He wanted us to have a survey so they could tell us that we would not be able to cut our power use by that much. We have a total electric house..and so far we have gone from 3300 kwhrs of power use during AC and heating seasons to 900-1200 kwhrs steady, but we are chipping away at that. When we get to the point that we can call up PEMC (who buys power from Duke from what I can find out) if they refuse I will pull the panel off the side of the house and take it to them.
We plan to start by putting up a few panels at a time and pulling circuits off as we develop capacity. I m disabled but I was was in commercial industrial electrician during my working life.