California Governor Gray Davis delivered a live address on energy from his Sacramento office in early April. He said that Californians must reduce energy consumption by at least 10 percent in order to avoid even greater problems this summer.
“We have two problems,” Gov. Davis said. “Supply is too low and costs are too high. Both result from the flawed deregulation scheme created in 1996. The only long-term solution is to build more power plants. We must also cut back on consumption and stabilize the utilities.”
Davis announced that energy prices would increase 10-34 percent for the state’s largest energy consumers. He blamed the need for rate hikes on “rising natural gas prices, the feds’ failure to control costs, and the state’s lack of supply.”
The state has already launched programs to cut back commercial lighting, and reduce consumption in office buildings, schools, and government facilities.
For more information regarding the energy crisis in California, contact the governor’s office or the California Energy Commission.
