21.   California Democrats have called on the administration to impose price caps on wholesale electricity rates as a way of guaranteeing a steady supply of electricity.

22.   Consumer advocates charge that power generators are gouging consumers by pushing wholesale electricity rates through the roof during peak summertime demand.

23.   ERCOT has been plagued by other problems, including short-term price spikes in wholesale electricity.

24.   Enron already is the second-largest U.S. natural gas marketer and sells more wholesale electricity than any other company.

25.   Feinstein also filed a brief Tuesday supporting a federal lawsuit seeking to force the FERC to regulate wholesale electricity rates in California.

26.   FERC did place limited caps on wholesale electricity prices last month, but has rejected demands for more stringent cost controls.

27.   Federal energy authorities said they are looking into how wholesale electricity rates are set and whether power generators are manipulating prices.

28.   Few believe regulators or lawmakers will return to a system in which government forces set wholesale electricity prices.

29.   First, he rejected summarily the idea that the federal government might impose a temporary cap on wholesale electricity prices.

30.   Finally, the spot market for wholesale electricity needs to be improved.