(Excerpted from a Reuters story by Nichola Groom.)
LOS ANGELES, June 27 (Reuters) - California, which enjoyed widespread praise this week for its ambitious plan to combat global warming, now faces the tough part: making it work.
"I just don't accept the premise that this is going to be more expensive," CARB Chairman Mary Nichols told reporters on Thursday, adding that not only is the price of renewable power dropping, but efficiency measures will slash the state's overall energy consumption.
But many disagree with that optimism, saying the state's utilities are unlikely to be able to meet the plan's requirement that they produce one third of their power from renewable sources by 2020.
California Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, in a letter to Nichols, said he was disappointed that the plan did not advocate for more nuclear plants, which produce cheaper electricity with no harmful emissions.
"I see no other physical way we can meet our ambitious goals," DeVore wrote.
