wsimpson@greendragon.com said:
The capacity of the transmission lines into southern Cal is the limiting factor. There's power out there (in various places), but no incentive for PG&E to carry it. It's virtually impossible for a "competitor" to add capacity, as right of way for power lines is even worse than for fiber.
FWIW this is the justification many regulators elsewhere (i.e. not in the US) gave for what I guess is the power/water/gas equivalent of 'local loop unbundling' (I can by my electricity from about 10 people here, though they all use the same transmission system), and keeping the grid separate from the supply company. Larger customers (data centers) can indeed use separate transmission arrangements if appropriate. The subway system here does deals power deals in London with dig (it self generates too), and so do various other slightly unexpected utilities. -- Alex Bligh VP Core Network, Concentric Network Corporation (formerly GX Networks, Xara Networks)