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$1 billion is about $30 per California person.

So Californians can spend a billion without it being much of an emergency.

Doesn't mean they should be happy with waste/poor regulation, just that billion isn't all that impressive a benchmark given the population of the state.

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And it isn't exactly self evident that it is "power that they "don't need." Increasing power production would reduce costs for everyone, which would be great for consumers, especially the poor.

The way generation is regulated, excess capacity doesn't necessarily reduce rates (the utility gets approval to increase rates to cover the capital cost of generation).

Producing more energy than it's possible to consume and then "splitting the bill" is especially a tax on the poor, since they will feel the 50% difference in price that article mentions, more than anyone.

The article says $6.5 billion and an extra $60 per person.

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