Businesses urged to conserve energy

As Southern California approaches another summer with tight power supplies, Businesses are being asked to cut back:

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's pick for new chairman of the California Energy Commission met with about 300 representatives of San Diego area businesses Wednesday morning to encourage them to get on board the governor's program to ensure adequate electricity this summer.

Noting that state officials were surprised last September to see peak demand for electricity hit levels that had not been expected before 2006, Assistant Secretary of Resources for Energy Joe Desmond pitched energy conservation measures as the best bet for making sure that electric supply is adequate to meet demand this summer.

The event, staged at Qualcomm's Design Center auditorium, was billed as an "energy summit to ask San Diego business leaders for a summer energy-saving pledge," and in fact a pledge form was handed out for signatures.

"What's important to remember is that customers have a lot to contribute in keeping demand down," Desmond said.

At the same time, he said that rolling blackouts triggered by excessive peak demand for electricity are "not likely, even in hot weather ---- if customers conserve."