Lake County Democratic Party recommends a no vote on Proposition 7, the Renewable Energy Generation Initiative.

California cannot afford to once again jeopardize the economy of our state by accepting a flawed electrical system policy. A portion of your electric bill today goes to pay off the costs that resulted from the ill-conceived deregulation law of the1990s. We cannot afford a repeat of that disaster.

Proposition 7 would mandate California utilities use renewable energy for 50 percent of electrical energy production by 2025.

A 50-percent mandate may well be beyond the ability of power producers, electrical grid operators and utilities to deliver with reasonable prices and reliably. Proposition 7 does not adequately address the size, complexity and cost of the huge infrastructure building program required to achieve its goal. The state has made great strides in increasing the amount of renewable energy, but to force the rate of growth required by Proposition 7 is not in keeping with the concept of a sustainable economy.

Many of the renewable technologies that will come online to meet the energy requirements of the future are still in the very early stages of development and must be given the chance to grow organically. California should move towards a renewable energy future that rewards efficiency, reliability and cost effective delivery of green power.

By locking in a 10-percent price premium and requiring a two-thirds vote to modify, Proposition 7 cannot respond to a renewable energy industry that is experiencing rapid growth and technological innovations. California can and should set far-reaching and aggressive renewable energy goals; but they must be based on a thoughtful and deliberate electrical system policy.

 

Proposition 7, though well-intended, is the wrong plan for our state. No on Proposition 7.

 

Evan Willig is vice chair of the Lake County Democratic Central Committee. He lives in Cobb.

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