California Gov. Gray Davis plans to appoint a “power-plant czar” who will oversee the completion of five power plants currently under construction and will expedite the permit process for several more in the energy-needy state. Davis tells San Francisco Bureau Chief Karen Breslau in the January 29 issue of Newsweek that altogether he plans to have 15 new plants under construction before his term ends in 2002. The plants would be the first in the state since the 1980s.
Davis also tells Newsweek that he talks often to former Treasury secretary Robert Rubin, now a co-chairman of Citigroup, “to make sure Wall Street understands what we’re doing.” Many experts have speculated that the problems of the nation’s largest state economy may spill over to the rest of the country, “California will not drag anyone into recession,” says Davis in the interview, “It will outperform the rest of the nation.”
Based on a report from PR Newswire.
Related stories:
California’s power problems go national as governor goes to White House
Californias utilities receive federal aid while Texas watches on
CEC grants $6 million to CA universities and prisons
California governor outlines new state controls in electricity market
Western states begin to harvest wind for renewable energy
