Turn out the lights

California has the seventh-highest energy costs in the nation, according to a new study. Last year the state was ranked 11th-highest. The study, prepared by the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, an advocacy group, looks at gasoline and electricity. Here are the rankings.

CHEAPEST STATES
1 Wyoming
2 Kentucky
3t Missouri
3t Oklahoma
5 Idaho
6 West Virginia
7 Louisiana
8 North Dakota
9 Iowa
10t Nebraska
10t South Dakota
10t Utah

PRICIEST STATES
42t Rhode Island
44 New Jersey
45 California
46 New Hampshire
47 Massachusetts
48 New York
49 Alaska
50 Connecticut
51 Hawaii

From the study:

Governmental factors explain part of the difference in energy prices from state to state. For example, what taxes are in effect in each state? What mandates are imposed by either the federal government or by the states that either directly or indirectly affect energy prices? Those mandates and regulations can include renewable portfolio mandates on electricity producers, for example, as well as state-based or regional efforts to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions.

OC Register's Jan Norman points out that CA's energy costs are likely to rise substantially in the future because of the global warming law.