81.   Commissioner Curt Hebert supported the order but predicted the cap will discourage power suppliers from selling power in California or building desperately needed power plants in the state.

82.   Energy Secretary Bill Richardson on Wednesday added a week to his order requiring Western power suppliers to sell electricity to power-strapped California.

83.   Energy Secretary Bill Richardson extended an emergency order requiring power suppliers to sell electricity to California until midnight Tuesday.

84.   Energy Secretary Bill Richardson ordered Northwest power suppliers to sell electricity to power-strapped California utilities Wednesday, a move that averted the immediate threat of rolling blackouts.

85.   On Thursday afternoon, Energy Secretary Bill Richardson extended an emergency order requiring out-of-state power suppliers to keep selling to California utilities despite their poor credit.

86.   Power suppliers and transport networks were also gearing up for disruption just days after northern parts of the country suffered the worst storms in years.

87.   Power suppliers are getting nervous about the financial stability of the cash-strapped utilities.

88.   Power suppliers have been accused of price gouging and manipulating the California market, although no clear evidence of such activities has surfaced.

89.   Some state officials accuse wholesale power suppliers of artificially inflating prices, an allegation wholesalers vehemently deny.

90.   Such speculation could disrupt negotiations on possible solutions under way among the state government, utilities and power suppliers.