Ed. Note: William R. Guice speaks energy truth to California. MasterResource is pleased to reproduce his August 6th letter to the California Department of Conservation, Geologic Energy Management Division, Central District. The letter first appeared at LinkedIn.
“California suffers from revenue losses for many critical services, has a massive budget deficit, is increasing its dependence on foreign oil, and has the 3rd highest energy prices in the US. These results are shameful.”
At LinkedIn, Rod Guice shared a letter he wrote “to protest what I believe is blatant state sponsored virtue-signaling.” He explained:
… Continue ReadingI’m weary of the ridiculous anti-Oil & Gas bias I see everywhere here and am sick of the unnecessary over-regulation of California’s honorable Oil & Gas Industry. The state clearly intends to destroy the Industry, as well as the jobs and livelihoods of Californians who depend on it.
Giberson: “I’ve seen a lot of mention of high electric power prices lately. Some blame wind and solar energy, others are blaming retail customer choice (i.e. “restructuring” or less accurately “deregulation”). Mostly it appears the analysts do not take inflation into account. Real retail prices of electricity in the US are on average about where they were a decade ago, and below the recent peak in 2008.”
Bradley: But what about US and state taxpayers footing part of the bill for the duplication of Texas generation? Factor that in and the price spikes when renewables fail and a wounded gas-and-coal industry is left.
And don’t forget–electricity policy reform is not only regulatory restructuring/re-regulation as eliminating the franchise and rate regulation for utilities. A real free market….
Bradley: This study needs to be redone with some of the comments I made above, starting with hassle costs from the whole switchover (which were not reflected in price) and the total costs of wind/solar/batteries not reflected in rates (born by US taxpayers).…
Continue ReadingEd. note: Jim Clarkson, an energy consultant and principled libertarian, is a veteran of gas and electric politics in South Carolina and other southeastern states. Clarkson has been a thorn in the side of cronyism between the utilities and their regulators for several decades. His previous posts can be found here, including “The Ratepayer’s Prayer“.
Six years ago, I sought advice about the prospects of my getting on the South Carolina Public Service Commission. It didn’t sound promising; nonetheless, considering myself familiar with state utility regulation, and having different ideas how it should be conducted, I gave it a shot. Here’s my story, beginning with some background.
In South Carolina there are seven U.S. congressional seats, and the General Assembly appoints a commissioner from each district for five-year staggered terms.…