January 17, 2001: Edwards AFB Faced Involuntary Diversions of Gas and Electric Power

During rolling blackouts across California and soaring energy prices, the 95th Civil Engineering Squadron reported that Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) had notified them that Edwards, being a “non-core” customer, with the exception of base housing, which counted as a “core” customer, could be facing involuntary diversions of gas and electric power. When informed of the consequences for the Air Force Flight Test Center mission of such a diversion, PG&E incorporated this information into a letter requesting assistance from the President, the Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) and the Secretary of Energy.

Larger volume gas customers, like electric generators and industrial customers, are called "noncore" customers. .Those customers, referred to as "bypass" customers, take service directly from interstate pipelines or directly from California producers.  Core end-use customers include all residential customers, and non-residential customers whose natural gas use does not meet the minimum usage requirements specified in the noncore rate schedules, or those customers that meet these standards but have not opted for non-core service.