ETIOLOGY OF THE CALIFORNIA ENERGY CRISIS

The mismatch between electricity supply and demand in California in 2001, wherein demand is outstripping the supply, is not the cause of the state's energy crisis. Rather, this mismatch is the energy crisis confronting California. The causes of the energy crisis, on the other hand, are those factors that contributed to the development of the mismatch between electricity supply and demand that became painfully apparent early in 2001.

Several factors contributed (and continue to contribute) to the mismatch between electricity supply and demand in California. A problem exists, however, with respect to defining one of these factors as the primary cause and relegating others to the status of secondary causes. As an example, one can cite the 13.8 percent population growth in California from 1990 to 2000 as a source of vastly increased demand for electricity that, in turn, contributed to the state's energy crisis in 2001. In contrast, however, Texas experienced a 22.9 percent increase in population