The California Electricity Crisis

This book attempts to explain what went wrong in California’s restructured energy markets and what must be done to restore California’s economy and build new electricity systems. The intention here is to reconcile the principles of competition and regulation. California had a severe electricity crisis for about thirteen months beginning in May of 2000. The economic consequences that arose from this crisis persist. California’s economy suffers and the state’s treasury is deeply in debt. The state’s three IOUs were nearly financially decimated. The problems and consequences arising from California’s ill-fated foray into electricity market restructuring could damage the state for years to come Challenges of this nature are not new to the Golden State. In the past, pragmatic, not entrenched, approaches have worked best in California. If California is to relatively quickly restore its previous enviable economic vitality and recover from the damage done to tarnish its luster, pragmatic approaches must again be used.