In March, when I wrote about Proposition 16, it was believed that Pacific Gas and Electric was prepared to spend $35 million to make it more difficult for local agencies to develop renewable energy sources.

Today, we learn that PG&E will spend at least $44 million on a campaign designed to protect its monopoly. In the same report, Capitol Weekly says that opponents have raised just $36,000 for the campaign to defeat Proposition 16.

PG&E advertises the measure as “protection against costly and risky government schemes.”

What the advertising is careful not to mention: (1) local power agencies, including the City of Healdsburg, charge less for electricity than PG&E, and (2) local power agencies have been much more successful in using renewable energy – wind, solar, geothermal and more – to generate electricity.

You can read today’s Capitol Weekly report by clicking here and my March 21 column by clicking here.

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