The private utilities have taken control of the process.
Big business is poised to get most of the benefits, at the expense of small consumers.
But there's a small ray of hope in this dismal swamp. For the first time in almost a century, cities, counties, and community groups in northern California have a real chance to form publicly owned cooperatives that could break the stranglehold of Pacific Gas and Electric Co., work to reduce the astronomical rates we pay for electricity, and bring vast amounts of money into public coffers. Those co-ops could make purchasing decisions that encourage the production of renewable energy and help move the nation away from a reliance on fossil fuels. From Palm Springs to San Jose, California cities are exploring establishing municipal co-ops to buy electricity. San Francisco officials are well aware of this opportunity, and city workers familiar with the situation say they are ready and willing to take advantage of it.