30 November 2006

California rolls dice, rejects coal-fired power

Southern California is gambling its future power needs on its constant sunshine, wind, and the ability of engineers to effectively harness those and other alternative energy sources.

The Associated Press reported officials in Pasadena, Anaheim, and several other large cities notified the Intermountain Power Agency this week that they would not be renewing their contracts for cheap, coal-fired power.

Those contracts expire in 2027. That leaves the cities two decades to secure the alternative energy sources they’ll need, from wind farms to desert solar power.

“It’s a huge change,” said Mayor Todd Campbell of Burbank, among the cities that decided Tuesday to not renew its contract. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power had already given notice to the Utah-based power agency. Glendale and Riverside also joined the group.

The moves could put the region in the forefront nationally of the commercial use of alternative energy in coming years, but researching and building the infrastructure to replace coal-fired power will be a costly, risky business.

“All of these technologies are still in their infancy,” said Phyllis Currie, general manager of Pasadena Water & Power. “We’re still looking at the fact that right now, the Intermountain plant is 65% of our energy.”

“It’s a serious issue when you tell us to walk away from that,” she said.

The cities’ decision came amid pressure from politicians and environmentalists.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation in September imposing a first-in-the-nation emissions cap on utilities, refineries, and manufacturing plants, with a goal of cutting greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by 2020.

Burning coal releases carbon dioxide, among the biggest of the heat-trapping greenhouse gases.