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They finally published the article on Cali Power Problems online:
http://www.hive4telecom.com/telecom/newstrends/articledetail.jhtml?ontologyID=19101&contentType=ArticleLong&headerGif=pix.gif&siteNavigationLocation=/&
Sadly, they didn't publish this sidebar online (page 35, April 15):
---
What Kind of Power?
Despite protestations of innocence, there are unsettling signs that the
major energy companies knew that late 2000 would bring power problems to
California.  Independent audits of the state's two largest utilities by
KPMG and the Barrington-Wellesly Group found that each transferred
billions of dollars to its parent company after California deregulated its
energy market.  Southern California Edison transferred $5 billion to its
parent company over the past five years, while Pacific Gas & Electric
transferred $4.7 billion since 1997 -- including $632 million in the first
nine months of 2000.  While both utilities await a $13 billion taxpayer
bailout, their two parent companies find themselves sitting on $9.7
billion of legally protected transfers and making record profits through
other ventures, such as Edison's investment in a Mexican cable operator
and a Swiss telecom company.  PG&E's parent company, meanwhile, is selling
power generated by power plants belonging to its subsidiaries in nine
other states back to PG&E at grossly inflated prices.
(insert picture of Bush - 'Bush: Filling friends' coffers with taxpayer
dollars?')
Indeed, some electro-watchers suggest that the utilities themselves
instigated the shortages in an OPEC-like move to spike prices.  Three
major players -- Enron, Reliant Energy and Duke -- took more generators
offline in January and February than average, just when the state needed
them most.  Generators were shut off, the utilities claim, due to age and
wear.  The outages removed 15,000 megawatts from circulation.  In all, 49
power plants had been turned off during the shortage.
San Francisco has already filed lawsuits against a dozen energy companies,
alleging price manipulation.  Global investment firm Credit Suisse First
Boston sent a memo to clients claiming that the rolling blackouts were
purposefully created by the utilites "to soften up the legislature and the
voters to the need for rate increases."  Instead, they appear to have
galvanized the state into legal action, requesting last month that the
Fed order utilities to refund over $5 billion in alleged overcharges for
power since last May. "Whether it was pure accident or collusion is
irrelevant," says Gartner Group analyst Dan Miklovic. "The bottom line is
that there were artificial shortages of supply created that didn't have to
be created."
And intended or not, out-of-state utilities got a helping hand from
President Bush when the former oil man refused to invervene in
Califonias's dilemma.
Why would Bush, who has the authority to order the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission to impose "just and reasonable" wholesale prices,
refuse to act?  Some suggest that the California power situation is about
a different sort of power.
It turns out that the top nine power suppliers involved in California's
energy market have given over $4 million to Republican candidates and
committees, with an additional $500,000 to the Bush-Cheney ticket,
according to Ralph Nader's Public Citizen consumer group.  In fact, Enron
is Bush's biggest lifetime contributor.  Rounding out the three top
contributors are Southern Co. and Reliant.  Enron CEO Kenneth Lay crafted
Bush's energy plans as Texas Governor -- and sitting on Reliat's board of
directors is none other than Bush advisor and Florida vote-wrangler James
Baker III.
Enron, Reliant and Dynegy -- all based in Houston -- saw profits rise
between 43% and 210% last year.  Calpine, another major energy player,
experienced a profit increase of 240% for 2000.  Average profits for the
top ten energy sellers were up 54% last year, while California wholesale
electricity prices skyrocketed 276%.
---
ouch.  my fingers hurt.
The article itself is OK, but nothing as accusatory as this sidebar.
Hope you all find this of some interest...
-- 
ciao, | (Ri)scoprire fidonet: | Chissa` cosa si prova a liberare
Marco | 
http://bbs.bofh.it
    | la fiducia nelle proprie tentazioni. (F.D.A.)

 refuse to act?  
Chissa` come mai... non e` che per caso, ma proprio per caso, il motivo
sia che Bush in California non lo amano proprio, ed evidentemente il
sentimento e` reciproco? :-)
Quanto alla crisi energetica, se imparassero finalmente a risparmiare un
po' di energia, sarebbe solo un bene.... chissa` che con i black out
siano finalmente costretti a capire che non e` indispensabile
condizionare gli ambienti a 18C, o lasciare TUTTI i PC, stampanti,
rilegatrici, e luci dell'ufficio accesi 24h/7d.. just my 2 cents.. :-P
-- 
Electra
*
Beauty fades, Dumb is forever
*

rilegatrici, e luci dell'ufficio accesi 24h/7d.. just my 2 cents.. :-P
Risparmiare??? Ma se il piano di Duhbya e' aumentare la produzione di
combustibili fossili e di energia nucleare, con la creazione di
centinaia di nuove centrali energetiche dei tipi 'classici' e di
abbandonare completamente la politica del risparmio.
(del resto e' cosi' strettamente legato ai cartelli industriali che
pensare il contrario e' impossibile)
Ciao
Federico 'Lobo' Faenza
Ministro della Cultura del Gedam
Guardia del Corpo di Stardust
'solo chi e' folle sfida le sue molle'
Il DModeratore e' un folle nazista