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For those who care, take a look at http://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/10/opinion/10KRUG.html which is an op-ed piece by an MIT Economics prof. describing the California situation in the same terms I have. He cites a paper which in turn cites evidence that artificial shortages were previously created in the UK (1996) and California (1998 & 1999). unfortunately no detail, but it is more than just random conspiracy theory.
He describes the california system as "deregulated", but the fact that it takes many years to get permission to build a power plant -- that it takes longer to get permits than to actually build one, is undoubtedly a contributing factor to the crisis. --digsig James A. Donald 6YeGpsZR+nOTh/cGwvITnSR3TdzclVpR0+pr3YYQdkG JXy269kdEdLHKEQ2b/5GVMHAZPjYHXf7xg8R1IyY 44A7PM67XbbrgFVYUWSF3uYbJ6dBoiZ6gwM+yy4xp