Concerned-1 wrote on Jan 11, 2008 2:38 PM:This was never a good idea. The commies running California have run amuck! Vote for Rex!

Roberto1 wrote on Jan 11, 2008 9:02 PM:It is-was silly...the volunteer program for air-conditoner shut etc. work just as well.

Concerned-too wrote on Jan 12, 2008 3:29 AM:I would like to see figures on the percentage of people who even have/use heating and air conditioning. I know I don't and most of my friends don't.

Ron wrote on Jan 12, 2008 6:55 AM:It's a fear tactic. You put out the "idea", then retrack it. I still want to know specifically who placed this language in the proposal. They never report who this particular language came from.

Billy: wrote on Jan 12, 2008 7:49 AM: 88 Degrees!? Off the top of my head I would say that anybody that needed that high a temp in their home has a very poor blood circulating system or a imbalance in there heating system. Oh yeah - could be a bad thermostat. At any rate they should have both systems looked at.

What if.. wrote on Jan 12, 2008 8:06 AM:It is just one step from programmable thermostats that are manditory and controled by others to having our automatic garage door openers opened. It may sound strange, but what if that were to happen often with random access. I sure wouldn't want my home accessed by anyone I didn't invite ! We had better take a good look. This is another reason for a moratorium on new construction, above and beyond water.

Sandy K wrote on Jan 12, 2008 9:04 AM:Billy, the 88 degrees is for the SUMMER not the winter. The idea was that the air conditioner would not come on until the temperature in the house reached 89 degrees.

Simple solution wrote on Jan 12, 2008 9:24 AM:The mandatory requirement for these thermostats is ridiculous.At a minimum, any home with one of thes should get some cost break on utility bills. Were I to purchase a home with one, I would replace it immediately (probably would cost about $30.00 at Home Depot). What about folks with health conditions that would require them to have unusually high or low temps? I wouldn't trust the utilities to be able to monitor exceptions to the rule.

theWolf wrote on Jan 12, 2008 9:33 AM:Ahh the liberal enviros show their true facist colors. Now a proposal, like voluntary no-smoking areas and then mandatory as the sheeple acquiesce.

Litl Bits wrote on Jan 12, 2008 9:44 AM:Don't be mislead, folks! They are making the 'control' voluntary....but the radio controls CANNOT be removed...meaning that they can still control the heating/cooling in your home - with an instant decision! KEEP THIS CONTROL OUT OF THESE DEVICES! Having them remain in place means they WILL use them at their own discretion! And if you are silly enough to trust their discretion, you're in BIG trouble!

We are a nation of wimps wrote on Jan 12, 2008 10:10 AM:we have become truly pathetic.

Its not about the temp, its about the basic idea wrote on Jan 12, 2008 10:53 AM:Our state (and federal) government's first instinct is that we, the people, can't be trusted to control our own lives. They choose options that give more and more control to unelected bureaucrats and law enforcement, instead of market incentives. Until we turf the self-righteous, self-important, jackasses from both parties, and elect people who believe in limited government, private property, and personal choice in matters that don't affect anyone else, we'll continue to have this sort of garbage.

Billy wrote on Jan 12, 2008 11:07 AM: To Sandy K - I know that - they should have said, "to a higher temp" indicating it was being set for heat. If they meant for air conditioning they should have said to a lower temp. One should not ever assume that these people mean anything. A lot of them are in the job they have because they think it gives them a lot of power over the populace when it is just the opposite. Who has the dollars? And what does a dollar represent? Work - ideas, thinking, and labor or muscle power. There is where the power and control is in our democracy. It lies with "We the People" according to our Constitution. They were just testing the water and found out real quick that the people would not stand for it. They will come back again with the same idea but in a different form, because they can't think outside the realm of control. Fixing the problem in a common sense way never occurred to them. Do not tell them where I live. lol

anon wrote on Jan 12, 2008 12:43 PM:What this regulation is attempting to do is to establish the citizenry of California as a source of dispatchable electric generation.

Electric generation from resources such as wind and solar are not counted in the total electric generation of the state since you cannot control or dispatch the power when you need it.

This mandatory provision in the PCT would have made the A/C load of the Central Valley a defacto dispatchable electric generation resource. It all falls under the attempt to count demand response as a source of electricity.

A better solution would be to establish building code requirements (and outlaw all existing CCRs) for outdoor clothes lines or similar apparatus. Currently, outdoor clothes drying is banned in the majority of new housing developments in California.

Floyd wrote on Jan 12, 2008 12:57 PM:I think I'll go out and buy a thermostat or two before the regulations take effect. A $30 purchase now might bring $125 or more when I sell it later.

Alf wrote on Jan 12, 2008 12:59 PM:"Big Brother" chooses to "give" us a reprieve, this time. It's far past the time to get rid of the "Big Brother" mentality and "Big Brother" itself once and for all by any, every and all means necessary. I am ready, are you? Regards, Alf.

Send my retirement wrote on Jan 12, 2008 3:27 PM:to Holland. I’d rather fight the occasional extremist Muslim than the government here. If this is what wealth does for intelligence, I’ll continue to be proud of my blue collar heritage.

Rod C. wrote on Jan 12, 2008 4:07 PM:Rationing is one way to share a resource that is in short supply. Price is another.

Take your pick.

More supply is not an option: 1) it doesn't exist (or soon won't) and 2) Global warming is a problem that we must face up to.

My guess is that coal fired power stations will begin to be closed down within the next 5 years because of global warming. AC may well then be banned.

Radio controlled thermostats? Maybe they are not so bad.

JSten wrote on Jan 12, 2008 4:38 PM:Thank god!

However, I also view the use of air conditioning as the same as some do fluoride, a right wing conspiracy to give plumbers something to do, it just serves as a breeding ground for legionella and kills off the weak and infirm.

People should need to apply for and receive a government permit for AC. I also wonder about the health effects of second hand AC. Theres a story here, people!

Charles wrote on Jan 15, 2008 9:58 AM:Brad Fikes and the North County Times deserve a raise for exposing this disgusting plan. Go Brad!

- wrote on Jan 15, 2008 5:48 PM:ROD C & JSten...
1. Global warming is a myth that makes many look very foolish
2. There are many options to increase the total generation of power. Like building more plants, especially nuclear.
3. More govenment control by regulating AC??? Now that's a bright idea! (not) How many watts did you use to think that one up.
4. Mercury laden bulbs that will be dumped into landfills and seep into our water system. Another brilliant idea!
It is your way of thinking that we are in the predictament we are in!
If you love big brother so much, the best idea is to mandate solar panels on all new developments.

- wrote on Jan 15, 2008 5:52 PM:Still, no one seems too upset that they plan on keeping with the legislation to mandate all new thermostats have the radio control technology installed but dormant. The first thing I would do, is purchase a thermostat from another state or country if need be.
And yes, I want to know who to rake over the coals for even suggestings this.

Bradley J. Fikes, staff writer wrote on Jan 16, 2008 11:15 AM:Charles, thanks for the kind words. The energy commission has taken the proposal off the building standards agenda and shifted it to its "load management" program agenda.

If any of you want to download a PowerPoint on how this is supposed to work, go here: http://tinyurl.com/2tp93f

Bradley

ScottyDog wrote on Jan 16, 2008 12:30 PM:The problem with the Energy Commission is they believe that man made global warming is real instead of the hoax that is being perpetrated by Liberal and Republican politicians.

This has always been about taking our Liberties and Freedoms away.

The real problem is that the Energy Commission has not allowed Generation plants to be built to keep pace with our population growth and they have mandated natural gas instead of Nuclear or Clean Coal fired plants.
There is not enough natural gas to supply the ones they built The idiots failed to realize there is a natural gas shortage because of other insane prohibitions against allowing Domestic production and building pipelines from Alaska.
The Government controlled thermostats is just the beginning of the Global Warming movement to control energy and take our liberties away.
1984 is now fact, not fiction.

Jill wrote on Jan 18, 2008 7:44 PM:They should mandate that all new houses have 3 solar panels on them that can feed back into the grid. That way we won't have another energy crunch because we'll be producing so much more electricity AND the house that has them on their roof will be cooler because the panel are absorbing the heat instead of the house.