Energy Manipulation: Justice is Pending

Energy Manipulation: Justice is Pending

Sep 14 - Seattle Post - Intelligencer

Is anybody awake at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission? The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has sent the latest in a series of wake-up calls to the commission for its failure to deal with Enron's exploitation of West Coast electricity consumers.

Nearly four years after the West Coast energy crisis, FERC still has to be told to do its job. Even though President Bush appointed its chairman at the suggestion of Enron's former boss, Ken Lay, the commission has an obligation to work for the public, not corporations.

Customers in this state, California and other parts of the West are still waiting for relief from overcharges by Enron and other power-marketing companies in the 2000-01 energy crisis. The circuit court ruled Thursday that FERC had "abused its administrative discretion" when it declined to order refunds to California customers for Enron's overcharges at the height of the crisis.

The court gave FERC another chance to do its job, returning the case for further proceedings. In Congress, however, some Washington state members are so justifiably frustrated with FERC that they are proposing legislation to effectively cancel an Enron contract with the Snohomish County Public Utility District rather than wait to see if the commission finally does so.

Whether from the courts, Congress or the commission itself, real relief is long overdue. FERC's failure to protect the victims is a continuing obscenity that must be remedied.

For far more extensive news on the energy/power visit: http://www.energycentral.com .