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LCG Publishes 2024 Annual Outlook for Texas Electricity Market (ERCOT)

LCG, October 10, 2023 – LCG Consulting (LCG) has released its annual outlook of the ERCOT wholesale electricity market for 2024, based on the most likely weather, market, transmission, and generator conditions.

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LCG Publishes 2024 Annual Outlook for Texas Electricity Market (ERCOT)

LCG, October 10, 2023 – LCG Consulting (LCG) has released its annual outlook of the ERCOT wholesale electricity market for 2024, based on the most likely weather, market, transmission, and generator conditions.

Read more

Industry News

California Capsule: Radio Ads Say Davis Doing Fine

LCG, March 30, 2001The radio commercials open with a gaggle of voices saying there is no energy problem in California, a thought immediately dispelled by an announcer who scolds "California faces even more energy shortages and blackouts this summer if we don't all do our part."

"Working together, we can have adequate supplies and a secure energy future," the ad goes on, making sure radio listeners know that's what Gov. Gray Davis, the legislature and community leaders are trying to achieve. The ad extols "historic statewide conservation programs like the governor's 20-20 program" that would give consumers a 20 percent rebate if they cut usage by 20 percent this summer.

"They're not political ads," said Davis political advisor Garry South, who helped plan the commercials. "They don't say 'Vote for Gray Davis'."

Backing for the political ads came from a group including Silicon Valley venture capitalist John Doerr and entrepreneur Reed Hastings, each of whom has already contributed $25,000 to Gray's reelection campaign. Carl Guardino, a Davis appointee to the California Independent System Operator and director of the Silicon Valley Manufacturing Group is another supporter.

But there is also hard news from the land of the setting sun.

  • The sun seems to be setting on Davis' plan to buy the transmission facilities owned by California's investor-owned utilities. That was the scheme the governor said a month ago would be wrapped up in a few weeks. Now Davis is saying he is not "wild" about the idea and is looking to take over the utilities' hydroelectric facilities. Democratic Assemblyman John Longville said "I think there's more support for hydro than for the transmission lines."
    It was all news to Pacific Gas & Electric Co., whose hydroelectric facilities dot Northern California's rivers. "It sounds like some people are going in circles and that every time we turn around we're hearing about a new proposal," said spokesman Ron Low.

  • The California Energy Commission recommended yesterday that AES Corp. move forward rapidly on plans to bring back into service two units of a Huntington Beach power plant retired in 1995 by previous owner Southern California Edison Co. The two gas-fired units could be back on line by July, according to the commission staff, but AES would have to dedicate the output to California and would have to pay $1 million for an independent study to assure the plant doesn't cause beach and ocean pollution. To get the units ready by July, work would have to proceed practically around the clock, creating noise pollution for people who choose to live near a power plant.

  • Law enforcement agencies are wondering how to enforce an order by Davis for retail businesses to sharply reduce their outdoor lighting or face a $1,000 fine. No cop of sheriff's deputy has written a ticket because no one said how much lighting is too much. Also, almost no one has complained about brightly-lit businesses and no one in state government has been pushing the program. Davis' order required auto dealers, shopping malls and others to reduce outdoor lighting by at least 50 percent starting March 15.

  • The Cal-ISO board of governors will take a look at a gloomy report today that predicts the state will have an electric power shortage of as much as 7 percent at times this summer. In studying summer power sources, ISO researchers found that power imports from the Pacific Northwest will be half of last year's because of a drought that has severely cut hydroelectric resources. The Northwest, in fact, may have trouble supplying its own power needs. The report says the shortage could hit California hardest in June, before new power plants come on line. Davis has promised that 5,000 megawatts of new generation would be available by July 1.

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