The Sconi

The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board is taking California Gov. Gavin Newsom to task over the state’s ongoing energy instability, blasting a recent near statewide blackout as a “man-made” crisis brought on by Newsom and the left’s faulty climate policies in the face of red-hot temperatures.

“But what starts in Cal­i­for­nia rarely stays in California,” WSJ warned. “Amer­icans every­where will soon be soaked with higher prices for power that is be­com­ing less re­li­able. Rhode Is­land En­ergy this sum­mer asked reg­u­la­tors to more than dou­ble cur­rent elec­tric rates for this win­ter. Fall­ing gaso­line prices for many Amer­i­cans could be fully off­set by ris­ing elec­tric­ity costs. The grid problems that Californians are enduring will grow and spread as supersized green-energy subsidies and mandates spread their harmful incentives throughout the U.S. economy in coming years. The culprit is the left’s climate policies, not climate change."

Critics charge as Newsom has moved the state towards green energy reliance, namely solar and wind power, nuclear plants across the state have shuttered, meaning as last week’s triple-digit temperatures rose to the forefront the state was left unable to supply enough electricity to residents.

According to the WSJ Editorial Board, from 2010-2020 gas-fired capacity decreased by 4,390 MW and nuclear by 2,150 MW. Even as the state has increased the supply of solar and wind power by 17,000 MW, The Board maintains it cannot be forced to power millions of homes during such a heat wave.

The article further blasts what it sees as the bitter irony of it all, arguing that Newsom’s tactics at the height of the crisis seem odd given the state set up emergency gas-powered generators for specific situations such as this one. While these generators rely on fossil fuels to power electricity, roughly a third of the state’s electricity supply comes from coal, which WSJ has taken to referring to as “Newsom’s dirty little climate secret.”

In addition, critics insist Newsom and Company’s push to move away from fossil fuels does not make energy cheaper, but rather less reliable as evidenced by the state’s most recent heat wave crisis.

Such end of the summer conditions are hardly new to the state, Choose Energy highlights in a YouTube video, adding that state officials making the decision to rely on other state’s backup supply wasn’t enough to offset the crisis as a number of surrounding states have also been transitioning to green energy and shutting down gas and nuclear plants.

Indeed, while on the campaign trial back in late 2021, then-candidate Joe Biden assured a questioner "Look into my eyes. I guarantee you we’re going to end fossil fuels.”                            

In the midst of California’s latest emergency, Newsom implored residents to raise their thermostats, along with advising industrial businesses to temporarily close and that “everyone must do their part.”

According to the most recent Choose Energy data, the state’s average electricity cost has increased by more than 25% compared to 2021.

More and more, the National Review reports GOP commissioners on the Federal Electricity Regulatory Commission (FERC) and industry groups alike have been arguing for a slower transition to renewable energy in hopes of assuring such shortfalls are avoided. Back in May, during FERC’s monthly meeting, Republican Commissioner Mark Christie warned “we’re headed for a reliability crisis. We’re just not ready yet."

Through it all, Democrats on the commission continue to point to power transmission issues as the cause for the blackouts and not the still unfolding energy transition.

Here in Wisconsin, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mandela Barnes seems in lockstep with his party, recently tweeting " We must address climate change by: Curbing greenhouse gas emissions by moving to 100% renewable energy, creating jobs with investments in clean energy, manufacturing solar panels + windmills right here in WI."

As of June 2022, Choose Energy reports the cost of electricity across the state on average jumped to 16.15 c/kwh, compared to 14.69 c/kwh the year before. Over the same time, the national average has increased by 11.3% compared.