>>Back to power plants. :-)

>Get the stupid state government out of business they do not understand! <g>

Do you not believe the information in this article?
http://www.disinfo.com/pages/dossier/id825/pg2/

Everything I read(aside from information from the power companies) says that the power companies are purposely reducing output to drive up the price, and then speculating on the wholesale price of power, so that it gets purchased over and over again... further driving up the price. Really electricity isn't a commodity that can be run by business, since we have no choice over who we buy it from and no real choice whether we use it. Sounds like a perfect commodity for a goverment-esque corporation to run.

In BC, the power company is a "crown corporation" which means that it is a company owned by the government. They are mandated to supply power, something which the California power utilities don't have to do. As well, if BC Hydro (electricity, not water) makes too much money, they give back the excess to customers in the form of credits on bills. Granted, they don't always do this without some pressure. Another benefit of government sold power is that it is more pro conservation. A private business will try to sell as much power as it can make, while a government system will have as an interest or as a mandate to try to conserve power (selling less). Private companies exist to make a profit, which fundamentally is at odds with the power production and conservation.