By The Leagues of Women Voters of the Los Altos-Mountain View and Palo Alto areas will sponsor a public forum on California's power shortage1-4:30 p.m., Sept. 22, at Agilent Technologies (Santa Cruz Conference Room), 5300 Stevens Creek Blvd., Santa Clara.

In March 1998, three investor-owned electric utilities in California were deregulated leading to a sell-off of more than half of the fossil fuel generating capacity. Management of transmission lines was delegated to a new Independent System Operator and power was to be bought and sold on a Power Exchange. Consumers would be free to select a provider other than their local utility. More than two years later, Californians witnessed Pacific Gas and Electric’s declaration of bankruptcy.

For more information, call 941-4846.