Predicament

As tempers continue to get shorter in the midst of California’senergy predicament, the state’s two major investor-owned utilitiesbutted heads this week on a natural gas issue created as anoffshoot of the persistent electricity woes in the state. Itinvolves Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s emergency filing to stateregulators Jan. 18 asking for Southern California Gas Co. to giveit some supplies in the face of its looming shortages, promptingSoCalGas to protest the request.