Unfortunately, it was an election year, and politicians do not want to boost utility prices just before asking for reelection. He didn't get it last summer when the trouble began. All forms of electricity cost money, and all forms of electricity pollute. Even solar and wind power, because large amounts of land have to be committed to their production, thus they have the same down side as hydroelectric. Currently the most efficient, least costly form of electricity production is nuclear power, but it pollutes in the form of radioactive byproducts that have to be buried for centuries.
Modern life requires electricity, and plenty of it.
There are technologies just around the corner that could cut our dependence on OPEC and other natural resources. Fusion is a ways yet, but could be available before the next century. On the other hand, fixing California's energy crisis is just the tip of the iceberg. Currently, California is using nearly twice its share of water from the Colorado River. It is not a crisis yet, because Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming are using less than their entitled share.