sf gate : text of gov . gray davis ' energy speech - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - forwarded by mike grigsby / hou / ect on 04 / 05 / 2001 10 : 05 pm - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
" mike " @ sfgate . com > on 04 / 05 / 2001 10 : 12 : 00 pm
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subject : sf gate : text of gov . gray davis ' energy speech
this article was sent to you by someone who found it on sf gate .
the original article can be found on sfgate . com here :
thursday , april 5 , 2001 ( ap )
text of gov . gray davis ' energy speech
the associated press
, , - - ( 04 - 05 ) 18 : 08 pdt here is the text of gov . gray davis ' televised
speech on energy thursday , as prepared for delivery :
" good evening . i ' m speaking to you tonight from sacramento on the most
difficult issue facing california : our energy crisis .
" simply stated , we have two problems : supply is too low and costs are too
high . both result from the flawed deregulation scheme created in 1996 . but
no matter how we got into this mess , you hired me to solve problems . and
that ' s what i ' m doing .
" the only long - term solution is to build more power plants . we must also
cut back on consumption and stabilize the utilities . but prices won ' t fall
and supply won ' t be truly reliable until we generate more power than we
consume .
" yet in the 12 years before i took office , not a single major power plant
was built in california . not one . since i became governor , we ' ve licensed
12 major power plants . ten more are in the pipeline . and we ' re doing this
without weakening our commitment to clean air and clean water .
" deregulation required the utilities to sell off many of their power
plants to independent generating companies . the generators are free to
charge whatever they want because they ' re governed only by federal
regulators who refuse to control wholesale energy prices .
" this past winter , the prices charged by the generators shot through the
roof , driving the utilities to the brink of bankruptcy .
" in january , with the feds still refusing to do their job , california
stepped in to purchase the power the utilities could no longer afford to
buy . we didn ' t take over to save the utilities . we took over to keep the
power on and the economy strong . that ' s not all :
- - we also negotiated long - term contracts for electricity at vastly lower
prices .
- - i used my emergency powers to seize control of low - cost power contracts
the utilities were about to forfeit to the generators .
- - we began negotiations to buy the utilities ' transmission system .
- - we cut red tape and offered cash incentives to speed up construction of
power plants .
- - we ' re launching an $ 800 million conservation program .
- - we ' re moving to establish a public power authority to build more power .
if the private sector fails to build all the plants california needs ,
we ' ll build them ourselves .
- - and because i share your concern that the generators are ripping us
off , we ' re using every legal remedy to root out and punish illegal
conduct .
" we can ' t fix 12 years of inaction overnight . but we ' re making real
progress .
" now , as you know , i have fought tooth and nail against raising rates .
it ' s become increasingly clear , however , that with rising natural gas
prices , the feds ' failure to control costs , and the state ' s lack of
supply , that some rate increases are needed to keep our lights on and our
economy strong .
" but i remain committed to protecting average californians from massive
rate hikes . so i ' m urging the public utilities commission to adopt a plan
that will protect average consumers , reward those who conserve and
motivate the biggest users to cut back .
" under my proposal , more than half of you won ' t pay a penny more . for the
rest , the average increase will be 26 1 / 2 percent . for many of that group ,
rates will rise only about 10 percent . the heaviest users will see their
rates rise 34 1 / 2 percent on average . that includes business paying their
share . this is in addition to the 9 percent surcharge we ' ve all been
paying since last winter .
" but all californians can reduce their bills through conservation .
" here ' s the point : the more you use , the more you pay . the more you
conserve , the more you save . conservation is our best short - term weapon
against blackouts and price - gouging . by flexing your power , you ' ll help
secure our energy future .
" unlike the puc , my plan includes funds to restore the utilities to
financial stability - - if they agree to three main conditions :
" they must provide low - cost regulated power to the state for 10 years .
agree to sell us their transmission system . and dismiss their lawsuits
seeking to double your electricity rates .
" my proposal raises rates fairly , assures us of long - term power ,
stabilizes the utilities and promotes conservation .
" our emphasis on conservation is critical . in order to make it through the
summer , we must cut demand by at least 10 percent .
" already we ' ve launched programs to cut back commercial lighting , and
reduce consumption in office buildings , schools and government facilities .
" friends , we have a power shortage but we are far from powerless . we are
34 million strong and if each of us does our part , we can minimize
disruptions and get through the summer . we are californians . we ' ve
withstood earthquakes , floods , fires , and droughts .
" yes , this mess is man - made , but with your help and god ' s blessing , we ' ll
get through this as well .
" thank you and good night . "
copyright 2001 ap
sf gate : text of gov . gray davis ' energy speech
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - forwarded by mike grigsby / hou / ect on 04 / 05 / 2001 10 : 05 pm - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
" mike " @ sfgate . com > on 04 / 05 / 2001 10 : 12 : 00 pm
sent by :
to : " mike "
cc :
subject : sf gate : text of gov . gray davis ' energy speech
this article was sent to you by someone who found it on sf gate .
the original article can be found on sfgate . com here :
thursday , april 5 , 2001 ( ap )
text of gov . gray davis ' energy speech
the associated press
, , - - ( 04 - 05 ) 18 : 08 pdt here is the text of gov . gray davis ' televised
speech on energy thursday , as prepared for delivery :
" good evening . i ' m speaking to you tonight from sacramento on the most
difficult issue facing california : our energy crisis .
" simply stated , we have two problems : supply is too low and costs are too
high . both result from the flawed deregulation scheme created in 1996 . but
no matter how we got into this mess , you hired me to solve problems . and
that ' s what i ' m doing .
" the only long - term solution is to build more power plants . we must also
cut back on consumption and stabilize the utilities . but prices won ' t fall
and supply won ' t be truly reliable until we generate more power than we
consume .
" yet in the 12 years before i took office , not a single major power plant
was built in california . not one . since i became governor , we ' ve licensed
12 major power plants . ten more are in the pipeline . and we ' re doing this
without weakening our commitment to clean air and clean water .
" deregulation required the utilities to sell off many of their power
plants to independent generating companies . the generators are free to
charge whatever they want because they ' re governed only by federal
regulators who refuse to control wholesale energy prices .
" this past winter , the prices charged by the generators shot through the
roof , driving the utilities to the brink of bankruptcy .
" in january , with the feds still refusing to do their job , california
stepped in to purchase the power the utilities could no longer afford to
buy . we didn ' t take over to save the utilities . we took over to keep the
power on and the economy strong . that ' s not all :
- - we also negotiated long - term contracts for electricity at vastly lower
prices .
- - i used my emergency powers to seize control of low - cost power contracts
the utilities were about to forfeit to the generators .
- - we began negotiations to buy the utilities ' transmission system .
- - we cut red tape and offered cash incentives to speed up construction of
power plants .
- - we ' re launching an $ 800 million conservation program .
- - we ' re moving to establish a public power authority to build more power .
if the private sector fails to build all the plants california needs ,
we ' ll build them ourselves .
- - and because i share your concern that the generators are ripping us
off , we ' re using every legal remedy to root out and punish illegal
conduct .
" we can ' t fix 12 years of inaction overnight . but we ' re making real
progress .
" now , as you know , i have fought tooth and nail against raising rates .
it ' s become increasingly clear , however , that with rising natural gas
prices , the feds ' failure to control costs , and the state ' s lack of
supply , that some rate increases are needed to keep our lights on and our
economy strong .
" but i remain committed to protecting average californians from massive
rate hikes . so i ' m urging the public utilities commission to adopt a plan
that will protect average consumers , reward those who conserve and
motivate the biggest users to cut back .
" under my proposal , more than half of you won ' t pay a penny more . for the
rest , the average increase will be 26 1 / 2 percent . for many of that group ,
rates will rise only about 10 percent . the heaviest users will see their
rates rise 34 1 / 2 percent on average . that includes business paying their
share . this is in addition to the 9 percent surcharge we ' ve all been
paying since last winter .
" but all californians can reduce their bills through conservation .
" here ' s the point : the more you use , the more you pay . the more you
conserve , the more you save . conservation is our best short - term weapon
against blackouts and price - gouging . by flexing your power , you ' ll help
secure our energy future .
" unlike the puc , my plan includes funds to restore the utilities to
financial stability - - if they agree to three main conditions :
" they must provide low - cost regulated power to the state for 10 years .
agree to sell us their transmission system . and dismiss their lawsuits
seeking to double your electricity rates .
" my proposal raises rates fairly , assures us of long - term power ,
stabilizes the utilities and promotes conservation .
" our emphasis on conservation is critical . in order to make it through the
summer , we must cut demand by at least 10 percent .
" already we ' ve launched programs to cut back commercial lighting , and
reduce consumption in office buildings , schools and government facilities .
" friends , we have a power shortage but we are far from powerless . we are
34 million strong and if each of us does our part , we can minimize
disruptions and get through the summer . we are californians . we ' ve
withstood earthquakes , floods , fires , and droughts .
" yes , this mess is man - made , but with your help and god ' s blessing , we ' ll
get through this as well .
" thank you and good night . "
copyright 2001 ap