Wind power vs. hot air?

April 3, 2001 8:28 PM

Wind power vs. hot air? Shamelessly purloined from ms. nut: wind farms in the Mojave are being left idle because the power utilities won't upgrade the distribution lines. Instead, they buy in power from neighbouring grids, at inflated prices, with the state and the consumer underwriting the cost. (more inside thread)
posted by holgate (3 comments total)

We all know that the California power deregulation was a mess. What interests me most about this link, though, is its source: it takes the Sydney Morning Herald to point out the alternative sources?

Meg compares it to famine -- a problem of distribution, not scarcity -- a good analogy, since the corrupt governments of famine-struck countries often peddle the myth of scarcity in order to hide their own misappropriation. Let's hope, then, that Gray Davis can bind California's utilities to contracts that treat the cause of power shortages, not just the symptoms.
posted by holgate at 8:31 PM on April 3, 2001

Some power facts. Everyone is screwing the consumer here: the power companies, the government, the governor...
posted by owillis at 10:54 PM on April 3, 2001

A few months ago, Governor Davis said he might use the power of eminent domain to (if I understand what that means) take public control of the power system. Of course, that would get him in trouble with various monied interests, making re-election difficult, but it's not like he's going to get re-elected anyway. Just as Carter was blamed for inflation simply because he happened to be in office when it happened, so too will Davis be blamed when it comes to the power crisis ... unless he takes a bold step like that. I'm not going to hold my breath, though.
posted by Potsy at 3:03 AM on April 4, 2001