[edshuck]

That is cool. I am glad to hear that power difficulties are rare.

We created (with a bit of help) the mess we are in. We deregulated.

A few years back, electrical power was cheap and plentiful. And the generators in the state served the state first and could sell only surplus, while maintaining a reserve.

Texas power companies were NOT allowed to buy and sell in Californian by executive order of Bill Clinton.

Then we deregulated and the power generators were a bit more profitable, being able to sell out of state.

Then Bush became president and after the corination and before the ball, he rescinded the order of Clinton. Absolute truth!

2001 was the summer of the Texas power companies in California. Buying and selling power within the same company and shutting down generators to force the price up. Enron, Williams and others and yes our own PG&E milked us.

PG&E moved a billion dollars to its parent corporation while declaring bankrupcy the same day.

And the watchdogs had been sent to their kennel.

Too much is bad and none is bad. Somewhere in the middle so both sides are alive and well for us.