Poll Shows Many California Voters Favor More Power

California?s registered voters are insecure about the supply and price of energy, according to a private poll shared with Circuit before its release. By wide margins, voters back everything from more conventional power plants and transmission lines to increased emphasis on renewable technology and energy conservation. In addition, they support importing liquefied natural gas, according to the poll. Energy insecurity in the electorate began with the energy crisis but has since been fueled by gasoline price volatility, said Richard Maullin of Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Associates. Maullin and his firm conducted the telephone survey of 1,500 voters in November. It was conducted for a new coalition organized by the California Manufacturers & Technology Association to back LNG for California ( Circuit , March 4, 2005). The results have a plus-or-minus 2.5 percent margin of error. Maullin found that to solve what they perceive as uncertainty about energy supply and prices, 72 percent of those polled favor constructing more power plants and transmission lines. He found that 68 percent favor more renewable energy and conservation measures. At the same time, 64 percent favor more natural gas infrastructure, while 57 percent prefer increasing the state?s gasoline refining capacity. ?There?s a continuing sense of malaise in the California electorate about energy issues,? explained Maullin. He added that 79 percent of registered voters are worried that population growth will outstrip the state?s energy supply and infrastructure and push up energy prices. ?Knowledge about LNG is pretty minimal,? Maullin added, with 58 percent of those surveyed saying they knew virtually noting about it. Only 10 percent claimed to have a lot of knowledge. However, after hearing a brief description of LNG, 61 percent said they would support locating LNG terminals in California. Nineteen percent said they would oppose LNG terminals, and 21 percent said they did not know enough to respond. Opposition to LNG to date has centered primarily around safety concerns and has been mostly in the coastal zone. ?There were no meaningful differences by race and ethnicity,? said Maullin. ?Rich or poor, it was the same response.?

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Poll Shows Many California Voters Favor More Power

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