There is a hesitation by third parties to build new plants due to questions of how well the customer base will hold up. SCE is no longer in the power generator business, and most energy is purchased on behalf of the customers from third party providers, including those utilizing solar and wind-created energy.But there is positive movement noted Williams: “Partnerships are trying to be formed” with Edison and other major utility providers “outreaching to vendors” to signal if they build buyers will come. Prices have stabilized somewhat, although rates are increasing - mainly due to the cost of natural gas.Although alternative energy - wind and solar for instance - accounts for 17 percent of the energy produced, the “bulk is natural gas... in the future we don’t see the significant power plants” being the subject of improvements, due to the lack of return to investors. By 2020, Williams said that a major part of SCE’s portfolio would be in natural element generators such as solar and wind machines.“There are a lot of wind farms and solar” generators, but they are not located close enough for easy utilization. Nevertheless, commercial and residential is seeing more use of solar energy, and in the City of Ventura “they are trying to incorporate it into their facility... in California you cannot discount solar.”
Good news, bad news about California’s sources of power
July 28, 2006
Santa Paula News
The proverbial good news and bad news was offered by Nancy Williams, who said that Southern California Edison has made gains but still has miles to go.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesThe proverbial good news and bad news was offered by Nancy Williams, who said that Southern California Edison has made gains but still has miles to go. The SCE Region Manager was a featured speaker at the June Good Morning Santa Paula! The Chamber of Commerce sponsored event was hosted by A.J. Diani Construction and held at Logsdon’s at the Airport.Williams noted that during the energy crisis she had made numerous appearances at GMSP! and other meetings to offer updates on the electrical power crunch. “I’m very pleased that the last few years things have stabilized... but the bad news is that although a lot of positive things are going on, we’re still not where we should be.”Third party generators have not provided as much as expected, as the industry continues to move back toward a more normal marketplace. “Somewhere, somehow we have to stabilize the perception out there that those third party merchants” are ready to solve energy problems. To further add to the crunch, “We’re getting some back, but not what we expected” from false charges resulting from market manipulation.
