Utilities Sector

Federal Judges Rule San Onofre Can't Reopen Without Full Public Hearing

In yet another major setback for the scandal-plagued San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (ASLB) has ruled that the power plant may not open without a full public review. In doing so, the panel of federal judges granted a petition filed by the enviro ... More >>

San Onofre Nuke Plant Could Permanently Close This Year

Southern California Edison (SCE), which operates the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), has apparently acknowledged for the first time that it may have no choice but to shutter the aging plant later this year. SCE is hoping that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will approve its ... More >>

Coastal Commission Raises More Concerns About Surf City Desalination Plant

If Poseidon Resources Inc. hopes to have its yet-to-be built Huntington Beach desalination rig online by 2017, it must answer several tough questions about its viability. That was the basic gist of a California Coastal Commission letter sent to company Vice President Scott Maloni last Monday. The si ... More >>

San Onofre Nuke Officials Buried Evidence Of Problems, Report Says

Last week, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) released a report showing that both that company and Southern California Edison (SCE) knew that replacement steam generators built by Mitsubishi for SCE's San Onofre Nuclear Generating system had major design problems as far back as 2005. The report furth ... More >>

Ace Hoffman Is Tilting at 'Nofre

The anti-nuke activist has spent years fighting the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. Now, the impossible is on his horizon: its permanent shutdown

[BREAKING:] California Coastal Commission Denies PG&E Seismic Studies Off Central Coast

See the breaking news update at the end of this post on the Coastal Commission's denial of PG&E's seismic studies proposal and foe Surfrider's reaction.ORIGINAL POST, NOV. 13, 12:02 P.M.: As the Coastal Commission considers Pacific Gas & Electric's Fukushima-inspired plan to fire underwater ... More >>

Municipal Waste, Napalm Death -The Observatory - November 13, 2012

Municipal Waste, Napalm DeathThe ObservatoryNovember 13,2012 If you're a metal head with a lust for gore and violence (maybe that's redundant), there are  two bands that you definitely want to see side by side before you die:  Municipal Waste and Napalm Death. We're sure ... More >>

Municipal Waste Are the Funnest (and Most Disturbing) in All of Thrash Metal

The band prove that bloody entrails and hellfire guitar riffs can actually be a light-hearted combination

San Onofre Nuclear Plant Closure Has Cost More Than $300 Million, Edison Investors Told

Southern California Edison overlord Edison International reports it has lost more than $300 million since its two reactors at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station went down last winter.So far.

Huntington Beach Claims SoCal Edison Pockets Millions Set Aside for Street Light Repairs

​Huntington Beach is among eight Southern California cities that have formed the Coalition for Affordable Street Lights, which accuses Southern California Edison of pocketing millions in taxpayer money set aside for light pole maintenance and replacement.The coalition--which also includes Torrance ... More >>

San Onofre Nuclear Plant Targeted in Ballot Proposal That Can Start Collecting Signatures

​Signatures can be collected for a state voter initiative that would effectively shut down San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.California's only other operating nuclear power plant in Diablo Canyon would also be mothballed should such a measure pass.Ben Davis Jr., the Santa Cruz activist who fo ... More >>

[UPDATED with Looming Federal Regs:] Windpower Convention Blows into Anaheim

​UPDATE, MAY 26, 8:33 A.M.: Talk about taking the wind out of your sails.An official of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) informed attendees of the Windpower 2011 Convention & Exhibition at the Anaheim Convention Center that a process begins next year to formally reg ... More >>

Entrepreneur Wants to Harness the Power of Waves Near San Onofre to Generate Electricity

WikipediaSan Onofre Nuclear Generating Station​The waters off the coast of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) are being considered for a massive renewable, green-energy science experiment. The group that was granted permission by the federal energy regulators hopes to one day build ... More >>

SCE is in a Solar Power-Buying Mood

House.govMoneymaker​When it comes to electricity made from solar panels, Southern California Edison is in a buying mood.

Utility Giant, Texas Oil Companies Fight Back With California Voter Initiatives

​An anti-tax group and a coalition of businesses quietly led by Texas oil companies have launched a signature drive for a November ballot initiative that would suspend California's pioneering law to combat global warming.Meanwhile, a Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E)-bankrolled measure that cons ... More >>

No Nukes is Good Nukes ... For Now

​The Orange County Register's Teri Sforza has a fascinating post today that answers the question "Will California be frozen out of Obama's nuclear future?" this way: definitely yes in the short term, possibly no in the long term.

San Onofre's Nuclear Roller Coaster

​For those on both sides of the debate over whether to fire up the Unit 2 reactor at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), last week was a roller coaster.

Paging Ken Burns! The Great War Between the North and South Water Districts

Terry Teri Sforza blogs on the Register's OC Watchdog that the cities of Laguna Beach, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, as well as the El Toro, South Coast, Irvine Ranch, Moulton Niguel, Trabuco Canyon and Santa Margarita water districts, may secede from its northern partners in the water-i ... More >>

Water District Dinged $130K-plus for Sewage Spills

The San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board today fined Orange County's Santa Margarita Water District $133,190 for two spills that flushed 857,934 gallons of shit into San Juan Creek and Cristianitos Creek.   The water district - Orange County's second largest, serving more than 150,00 ... More >>

Body Language Exposes Deception in Irvine Safe Water Presentation

Last week we blogged that Navy and Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD) officials had declared Irvine's drinking water safe at a presentation before the Orange County Great Park board--despite an acknowledged polluted plume under parts of the city and its source, the former El Toro Marine Corps A ... More >>

No on Measure R Contributor Has a Past

Garbage As mentioned here, Santa Ana recycling equipment maker Enterprise Co. has given $4,000 to the campaign against Irvine's Measure R, which asks residents to give a vote of approval to the Irvine City Council's planning of the Great Park on the old El Toro Marine Corps base. Enterprise Co., w ... More >>

Terrorists Attack US Power Plant

Israeli terrorists have caused significant damage to a power plant in Palestine, insured by the U.S. government for up to $48 million dollars. READ THE STORY ON ALJAZEERA.COM Tony Snow, White House Chief of Verbal Diarrhea, previously described Israel's current assault on the Palestinians as legi ... More >>

A Life Wasted

Dave Christensen went from Irvine politician to undercover agent in an FBI stingand then died in a mysterious hiking accident

Change in the air?

This is certainly a refreshing development, although the participation of a gubernatorial candidate smacks of political posturing. NEW REPORT ON COMPANIES IN CALIFORNIA, ELSEWHERE TO FIND WIDE DISPARITY IN CLIMATE CHANGE RESPONSES; INVESTORS WILL PUSH POOR-PERFORMING FIRMS TO SHAPE UP NEWS ADVISOR ... More >>

White Collar Crackerjack

Orange trash haulers case is soooo 1998

A Fun Job

Curt Pringle wants to be Anaheims next mayor

In the Sewage Pipeline

Anti-dumping bill picks up steam

Alternative Groove

Study shows sun, wind, geothermal power would solve 'crisis'

Argyros Gas Mask

Developer allegedly overcharged tenants for utilities

He Learned It by Watching Bob!

Former Dornan aide Brian Bennett promises to save SoCal Edison by any means necessary

Monsters of Deregulation

If were being plundered, where are the festive pirates?

Poor Edison

Now broke, the power company uses taxpayer cash to fund a global business empire

Fight the Power Plants

Was electric deregulation cover for union-busting in power plants?

Rate Rape

Hot Rods!

Nuclear power gets a second look

The Honeymoon Continues

The press and politicians protect John Moorlach from tough questions about Edison investments

Electric Light Orchestra

The states biggest newspapers continue to defend the power companies

Electric Doomsday!

How Edison convinced you that deregulation reform was a bad idea

Bail Me Out, Too!

One ratepayers plea for government assistance

Somebodys Gonna Pay!

In the battle over power deregulation, the Reg figures it ought to be you

Blackout Mail

Utilities generate more hysteria than power

Black Out

How the Reg helped screw up Californias power industry

Ty-D-Baugh Man

Bitter Pill

Anti-radiation pills may never be fashionable in California

Cancer Politics

Radiation is good for youjust ask a scientist!

The Silent Treatment, Part II

Whats next for Ward Valley? Dont ask the governor

Power Play

Bad news on the first anniversary of energy deregulation: you're still getting screwed

Ode to Sneaky Pete

Nuclear industry exposes ex-governor's Ward Valley lie

Prescription for Disaster

If San Onofre is so safe, why are federal officials pushing anti-radiation pills on its neighbors?

How I Spent My Christmas Vacation