Unions seek to re-regulate energy in California

The Golden State's labor unions are looking to flex their power over the energy industry and are planning a ballot measure to do just that:

The initiative would ban future purchases of power on the open market, called "direct access," and require customers to purchase power from regulated utilities.

Schwarzenegger wants some market access in the solution to the flawed deregulation that led to soaring power costs in San Diego in 2000, pushed the state's largest utility into bankruptcy, contributed to blackouts, and left ratepayers with large long-term debts.