California energy flow in 1994
California energy consumption increased in 1994 in keeping with a recovery from the previous mild recession years. Although unemployment remained above the national average, other indicators pointed to improved economic health. Increased energy use was registered principally in the residential/commercial and transportation end-use sectors. A cooler-than-usual winter and spring was reflected in increased consumption of natural gas, the principal space-heating fuel in the state. Because of low water levels behind state dams, utilities turned to natural gas for electrical generation and to increased imports from out-of- state sources to meet demand. Other factors, such as smaller output from geothermal, biomass, and cogenerators, contributed to the need for the large increase in electrical supply from these two sources. Nonetheless, petroleum dominated the supply side of the energy equation of the state in which transportation requirements comprise more than one-third of total energy demand. About half of the oil consumed derived from California production. Onshore production has been in slow decline; however, in 1994 the decrease was compensated for by increases from federal offshore fields. Until 1994 production had been limited by regulatory restrictions relating to the movement of the crude oil to onshore refineries. State natural gas production remained at 1993 levels. The increased demand was met by larger imports from Canada through the recent expansion of Pacific Transmission Company`s 804 mile pipeline. Deregulation of the state`s utilities moved ahead in 1994 when the California Public Utilities Commission issued its proposal on how to restructure the industry. Public hearings were conducted in which the chief issues were recovery of the utilities` capital investments, conflicts with the Public Utilities Policies Act, management of power transactions between new suppliers and former utility customers, and preservation of energy conservation programs currently sponsored by the utilities. The issues were not resolved at year-end, but the state`s public utilities began to take steps to improve their positions in a future competitive market by cutting costs, improving efficiencies operating plants, and enlarging their nonutility interests.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 572765
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-ID-18991-94; ON: DE98052088
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Sep 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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U.S. Energy Flow -- 1995
U.S. energy flow -- 1994