By Kevin Lee
Daily Bruin Contributor
Conserving energy should be a priority for everyone in the UCLA
community, according to David Johnson, Director of Energy Services
at UCLA.
“The media can often warp the public’s perception of
what’s really going on,” Johnson said. “The fact
of that matter is that all of California is suffering, and every
single person needs to do their part to conserve energy.”
The UCLA Energy Systems Facility has been receiving alerts of
California’s energy shortage on a regular basis from the
California Independent System Operator, the state agency
responsible for monitoring energy levels in California.
In addition, the average residential bill for customers of the
Department of Water and Power, which provides electricity for
apartments surrounding UCLA, may be rising by as much as 250
percent, Johnson said.
But DWP rates have not risen as rapidly as that of Pacific Gas
& Electric or Southern California Edison due its ability to use
profits earned during the year to offset increased expenses.
Energy conservation tips suggested by the UCLA ESF include
turning off lights and computer monitors when not used, reducing
air conditioning and heater and restricting the use of appliances
such as microwaves, toasters and refrigerators.
Last Thursday, when ESF received a Stage 3 alert ““ a
warning triggered when the state has less that 1.5 percent of
energy in reserve ““ plant administrators distributed notices
to various UCLA building and service supervisors urging immediate
reduction of energy usage.
These supervisors include those of UCLA Housing, UCLA Extension,
UCLA Transportation Services and the Ackerman Student Union. UCLA
ESF administrators also plan to notify various computer labs on
campus.
The Inverted Fountain was also turned off to conserve energy,
according to Johnson.
Some of the requests in ESF’s notice which, in addition to
the previously mentioned tips, were keeping doors and windows shut
to trap in air-conditioned air, restricting the top temperature for
water boilers, and consolidating the use of photocopiers and
printers.
Gov. Gray Davis, in his State of the State address on Jan. 8,
said that he will require all 141 University of California,
California State University and California Community Colleges to
move toward energy independence with the construction of on-sight
co-generators, such as the energy plant at UCLA.
Supplying 80 percent of UCLA’s electricity (the remaining
amount coming from the DWP), the UCLA ESF is a co-generator which
makes its energy using multiple sources. The sources used are
natural gas, steam and methane gas piped in from the Sepulveda
Valley Mountaingate Landfill. Within one year, natural gas prices
for the plant have risen from $3 per decatherm ““ the unit of
measure for natural gas ““ to $16 per decatherm, a 500 percent
increase.
No one reason can be pinpointed for rising electricity rates,
according to Johnson. Aside from the large demand for energy by
Silicon Valley, a significant factor may also be the absence of new
power plants.
Currently, there are only 12 wholesale power plants ““ not
enough to support California. In response to this problem, Davis
said in his speech that since April 1999, his administration has
licensed nine new power plants, five of which are currently under
construction.
Another reason for rising rates is that deregulated California
private utility companies have been selling electricity to other
states for a higher profit, reducing energy reserves for
California. The governor considers such profiteering as
“being backed by only one objective: to maximize unheard-of
profits.”
In addition, plant operators usually shut down their generators
during the winter to prepare them for summer months.
In his State of the State speech,the governor pointed out
suspicions that some utility companies have been deliberately
withholding their power to create an “artificial energy
shortage” ““ which Davis called a “criminal
act.”
Davis announced a plan Saturday under which the state will buy
power at reduced rates and resell it to utility companies to help
stabilize California’s electricity market.
In his State of the State speech, Davis also said he would set
aside $1 billion for purposes of stabilizing the electricity
market, though Johnson does not think it is a high enough
amount.
“I don’t think $1 billion come close to helping
solve California’s energy problems,” Johnson said.
Davis plans to restructure the Independent System Operator by
replacing advocates for energy companies with advocates for the
public. Â He also wants to overhaul the process of bidding by
utility companies for wholesale electricity. Davis said such a
process sets wholesale electricity rates at too high a level.
Davis wants California to cut energy consumption by eight
percent, and said the government would lead by example by cutting
eight percent per day.
With reports from Daily Bruin wire services.
ENERGY SAVING TIPS
- Turn off lights and computer monitors when not using them.
- Reduce air conditioning and heater usage.
- Restrict the use of appliances such as microwaves, toaters and
refrigeration devices.
- Keep doors and windows shut to trap in air conditioned
air.
- Restrict the top temperature for water boilers.
- Consolidate the use of photocopiers and printers.
SOURCE: UCLA Energy Services Facility Original graphic by CONNIE
WU/Daily Bruin senior Staff Web adaptation by ROBERT LIU/Daily
Bruin Senior Staff