Excellent article by Pentland, but ConEd isn’t the only screwed up utility in NYS. They ALL are.

This quote by Cuomo is takes the cake for obfuscating the problem:

‘The utility system we have was designed for a different time and for a
different place . . . I believe the system is archaic and obsolete in
many ways. They are basically one of the last monopolies . . . If you
are unhappy with the utility company, who do you fire?”’

A few thoughts:

1) Wasn’t the purpose of Pataki’s deregulation of utilities in NYS to ELIMINATE the MONOPOLY POWER of utilities? So why is Andrew flapping his lips about monopolies NOW? What does our governor think that we’ve been doing all these years with the much touted alternative suppliers of energy (often called ESCOs) and our wonderous, free-market-based New York Independent System Operator (NYISO)? Has deregulation failed? Should we admit it? Can we put the toothpaste back in the tube?

2) It’s not clear that Andrew understands the difference between (1) the old vertically-integrated utilities of yore which were regulated by the NYS PSC and (2) the deregulation of NYS utilities where we separated (to the extent possible) the generation and transmission/distribution functions of utilities and which still PARTIALLY regulate. Somebody needs to explain things to Andrew. Somebody with some brains.

3) NYS and the U.S. as a whole do NOT have the money to modernize our electric grid. Not to mention, the kinks for doing so are far from being worked out. A smart grid is like a “concept car,” in my opinion. The utilities are still dealing with simpler things like getting smart metering going in NYS, so they can better screw consumers like you and me. A new grid is way off in the future.

4) Besides, the state of the grid is the SYMPTOM rather than the CAUSE of our problem. Andrew should stop blaming inanimate OBJECTS (i.e., the grid) and blame the PEOPLE who let those the inanimate object fall into such a fragile state that if a leaf drops the power goes out. Who are those people? That’s something for everyone to ponder. The NYS Public Service Commission should definitely be included. There’s plenty of blame to go around.

5)News flash to Andy: You can’t break up ConEd’s or LIPA’s monopoly on their piece of the grid into even smaller entities owned by lots of people. A power grid doesn’t work like that. For a transmission and distribution system (i.e., the grid) to be economically feasible it has to be BIG. It has to take advantage of economies of scale. Look up the phrase “natural monopoly.”

6)Yes, how to solve our utility problems is a big mess without an easy solution. Maybe Andrew’s theme for the upcoming session should be “The Year of the Utilities”…and how to fix them…somewhat. Prayer is not an option.

It’s ironic to hear Paterson comment on someone else’s dysfuntion. Dave put the “D” in dysfunction himself. He appointed and hired more nincompoops than any governor in recent history. Plus, his admission on Day 2 of the Paterson administration of cocaine use and tit-for-tat affairs with his wife was a doozy for the Annals of Albany.

The POTUS apparently is willing to have the M & Ms, and Social Security on the table.

His plan calls for $4 trillion in cuts over the next decade….a total that will have to include major cuts in entitlements, and domestic cuts for the middle-class and poor.

WIll he agree with the House GOP to raise the retirement age? to change the cost of living index that will cost SS recipients yearly increases?

Why not allow the Bush tax decreases to expire on Jan. 1st, and then the next day renew them for everyone except the top 2%?

Wouldn’t that be a super way to get the wealthy to pay more? a clean way for Barack and the Senate Dems. to link themselves with the majority opinion prevailing in the country?

We are told by the national jibber jabbers that we are in a post-racial era….that Barack is the symbol of that post-racialism..that Barack could not promote specific programs that would have benefited urban blacks because it would undercut his attempt to be post-racial.