Date: September 11, 2000	Contact: Darren Pudgil
	tel: (619) 531-5894

ROBERTS PROVIDES TESTIMONY TO THE HOUSE ENERGY
AND POWER SUB-COMMITTEE ON ENERGY CRISIS

Supervisor Roberts provided the following testimony to the House Subcommittee on Energy and Power,
which met in San Diego on September 11, 2000 to address the disfunctional energy market in California:

Dear Chairman Barton,

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the ongoing power crisis in San Diego. I deeply appreciate your
attention to this very critical issue.

As you know, deregulation of the electrical industry in California has gone terribly wrong. Virtually overnight, San Diegans have watched their power bills double and, in some cases, even triple.

To date, only short-term solutions have been implemented. Assembly Bill 265, passed by the California Legislature and signed by Governor Gray Davis earlier this month, places only a temporary cap on the price of electricity that power companies may charge consumers. While this bill will provide immediate relief, this rate cap will expire in 2003 and San Diegans will not only once again face higher rates, they will also be forced to pay off the cost difference in the so-called balancing account that will have accumulated between now and 2003. This may amount to hundreds of millions of dollars.

San Diegans need a permanent solution. I call on your committee today to fully investigate all of the issues underlying the energy crisis in California, including the lack of power generation and the possibility that outside power companies have engaged in price-fixing. In addition, the basic bidding procedures appear to be organized to ensure the highest prices, and should be revised.

Again, thank you for your attention to this most important issue. Hopefully, today's meeting will eventually lead to a resolution of this issue by ensuring a long-term supply of affordable power for all San Diegans.