'Big Brother' Is Big In California

Adjustments in your preset temperature, for example, could be achieved by existing remote control thermostat technology. While customers could override the utility company’s adjustments, the utility companies would have final authority to adjust electricity consumption during emergencies via programmable communicating thermostats.

Now, I'm not going to get into a political rant on the failings of the California Legislature with respect to deregulation, but this just smacks of yet another knee jerk reaction. Yet another in a long line of inept decisions since deregulation of California’s energy market in the mid 90's.

According to the Integrated Energy Policy Report, California energy consumption has remained relatively flat over the past 30 years, whereas consumption in the US has increased almost 50%. Energy efficiency has its place, I'll admit, but there are limits to what efficiency can accomplish. At some point generating capacity would need to rise to meet demand.

Given that the population of California has doubled since 1965 and is expected to grow to more than 44 million people by 2020 and 60 million by 2050 it would seem, at least to me, that increasing overall capacity would be a better, more viable solution to the problem.

I would love to hear opinions from some of our California friends... and everyone else, of course.

2007 Integrated Energy Policy Report [7.9MB .PDF]

Jesse & Kathy Clifton, better known as 'The Spouses' are full time Realtors serving Fairbanks Alaska buyers and sellers. They specialize in residential real estate; new and existing construction as well as undeveloped land in Fairbanks, North Pole, Ft. Wainwright, Eielson Air Force Base and Interior Alaska. Visit their website to review the fee market reports designed to keep you updated on the local Fairbanks Alaska real estate market. Have specific questions? Feel free to contact them anytime. They would love to hear from you.