California utilities get new energy-savings plan

[jpak]

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN1021746420070810

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California utilities would reap financial rewards or face penalties under a new energy-efficiency proposal issued by state regulators late on Thursday.

The California Public Utilities Commission said the utilities could be paid up to $500 million over three years for exceeding energy savings goals, or they could be penalized up to the same amount for not meeting a base energy savings target.

The commission is likely to vote on the plan on September 20.

Utility customers would get about $2.7 billion in benefits in avoided costs for three new 500-megawatt power plants if savings goals for 2006-2008 are met, Dian Grueneich, CPUC commissioner and co-author of the proposal, said.

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[oldhippie]

1. This seems kinda backwards.........

The utility companies MAKE and DISTRIBUTE the energy, not consume it. Consumers consume it, and they are the ones trying to conserve. If I'm a utility company I can easily make any energy savings target the PUC wishes, just by cutting off power to selected neighborhoods whenever needed. I don't think this is the intended solution.

[Kolesar]

2. The utilities will fund a large number of efficiency-improvement projects around the state

The rate of return on that investment is much better than the rate of return for building a whole new power plant.

[oldhippie]

4. That is real Voodoo Economics....................

...... and not a viable strategy for the future.

[Kolesar]

5. Before you call it voodoo, see how it works at Efficiency Vermont

Enjoy! www.efficiencyvermont.com

[razzleberry]

3. the rolling-blackout energy conservation strategy was tried ...

by California, in the past

shame on selfish Californians for not
embracing conservation