Governor reassures Californians

Making a promise that could cost him his Governorship, Arnold Schwarzenegger assuaged concerns over California's energy availability:

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Tuesday that Californians won't face an energy crisis on his watch despite some experts' concerns about possible shortages by next summer.

"Trust me, everything will be under control - your lights will be on," Schwarzenegger told reporters at the Folsom offices of the state's power grid manager, the California Independent System Operator.

The Republican governor appeared with federal and private energy officials to celebrate the elimination of a bottleneck that contributed to power blackouts during the state's 2001 energy crisis.

Energy experts said the construction of an additional 84-mile transmission line along Path 15, a previously inadequate power corridor north of Coalinga, should help ensure the flow of power between Northern California and Southern California.

Of course, transmission lines mean nothing if adequate energy supplies are not available to transmit.