Details From A.P.
Energy Saving Tips
Dec. 20, 2000-- Utah is part of one of the worst power shortages in recent history.
That's what Governor Leavitt announced after he attended an emergency meeting of the six western states today.
News Specialist Stacey Butler has more on that story.
Utah itself generates more power than it needs.
But because we are part of a western power grid where we buy and sell energy
to California and the Northwest, we are directly impacted by shortages there.
Those states are in a crisis, and now Utah, too, is entering one of the worst shortages in history.
As the price of natural gas
hits near record levels today-
-Governor Leavitt calls a press conference to ask Utahns for help.
"THIS IS A PROBLEM OF THE HIGHEST ORDER OF SERIOUSNESS."
In the past a megawatt of power has sold on the open market for $20.
Today it's as much as $5,000.
Why?
Mike Leavitt, Governor of Utah: "THE DEMAND HAS GROWN STEADILY AND THE SUPPLY HAS NOT. AND WE ARE GETTING DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE POINT WHERE THOSE LINES CROSS AND WE DO NOT HAVE ADEQUATE POWER SUPPLIES."
In California, where the problem
isn't the cold, but the huge
electric demands of a high-tech
society, consumers face rolling
blackouts next week.
Because we share the same power grid, ultimately whatever happens to California and the Northwest happens to us.
"OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS, THIS STATE AND EVERY STATE IN THE WESTERN POWER GRID WILL NEED TO WORK IN A DELIBERATE EFFORT TO CONSERVE ENERGY."
Today, Energy Secretary Bill
Richardson ordered suppliers in
other western states to keep
providing California with power for
another week, and warns the
problem may spread to the
Northwest.
Bill Richardson/U.S. Energy Secretary: "IF WE DON'T ALL WORK TOGETHER, WE'RE GOING TO ALL END UP SITTING IN THE DARK ALL ALONE."
