1.   Although the energy crunch eased a bit when two power plants came back on line and imports of electricity were secured, no one expects complete relief anytime soon.

2.   And when the energy crunch hit last year, power plants purchased most of the credits and sent prices soaring.

3.   As the mercury soared in the Bay Area and Central Valley, people were thinking about the energy crunch.

4.   Asked about the incident, the UCLA economist conceded that the energy crunch is hurting some businesses.

5.   But in mapping out the Bush plan, Cheney backed away from earlier signs the administration would emphasize conservation in its effort to fix the energy crunch.

6.   California has weathered its energy crunch.

7.   California Governor Suffers in Ratings Of course, the energy crunch is not exclusively a Republican problem.

8.   Even so, the energy crunch of the last year was a boon for both power plant owners and electricity traders.

9.   It also could present another challenge to the Bush administration, which is expected next week to release its plan to address the energy crunch.

10.   It was highest at the end of the Carter administration, when the nation faced a severe energy crunch.