No. 33 In the western state of California, energy officials have declared an electrical power emergency. A state energy official says many areas of California may not have electricity for short periods of time. The declaration permits the state to receive emergency supplies of electricity from national and state providers. Electricity companies in California are currently in a crisis. State law does not permit them to increase prices. But energy costs have increased and the value of their campanies' stocks has dropped. The companies have lost so much money that they have threatened to stop their business operations.