Energy Measure Approved in Calif. Blackouts

Jan. 19 -- With more rolling blackouts threatening California, Energy Secretary Bill Richardson today said he would order power companies to continue shipping natural gas to the energy-strapped state.

Richardson said he was taking the action to ensure that California's financially strapped utility companies would not be cut off by natural gas suppliers concerned about their ability to pay their bills. President Clinton, Richardson said, directed the order, which will last until Tuesday night.

"[President Clinton] has directed me to initiate the order … to protect the people of California [and] to make sure there's enough natural gas supplies," Richardson said.

Richardson's order could be extended beyond Tuesday under the new Bush administration by incoming Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham.

Stopgap Bill Approved

Richardson's decision came as California lawmakers approved the $400 million rescue plan so the state can buy power on the open market and sell it to strapped utilities at a low cost. The bill would be in effect for up to 10 days or until lawmakerspass a long-term plan. Gov. Gray Davis signed themeasure today.

Both Richardson's decision and the bill come as welcome news to the hundreds of thousands of schools, businesses, restaurants and residents who lost power at some point in the northern sections of the state on Thursday. California Independent System Operator officials warned rolling blackouts could continue for a third straight day, as a Stage 3 alert was extended into today.

"Nothing has changed to a great extent,"said Patrick Dorinson, spokesman for the California ISO, which controls the power grid in the state. "The demand in Northern California is down slightly at this point, but we still need people to conserve."

Effects of the blackouts began to ripple through the economy, as power problemsshut down the state's main gasoline pipeline and forced farmers todump milk because the dairy plants were operating on reduced hours.