EUREKA, Calif. (AP) -- Marijuana growers in Humboldt County are finding
that their profits are being smoked by high electricity rates in the
state's energy crisis.

Because many growers use 1,000-watt lightbulbs to coax their plants into
flowering, both underground pot producers and those growing marijuana
legally for medicinal use have seen their power bills skyrocket.

"Power is probably the biggest single cost for these guys," said sheriff's
deputy Randy Garcia. "The more power they use, the better the quality of
the product."

A 1,000-watt lightbulb cots $50 a month to run 18 hours a day, according to
Bryn Coriell of American Hydroponics, which sells the bulbs to tomato and
lettuce growers.

Garcia said his anti-drug unit raided an operation with 3,500 plants that
used 88 lights, amounting to some $4,000 a month in electricity bills,
according to one estimate.

To avoid getting burned by the high rates, growers have resorted to tactics
like installing electrical bypass devices to keep their meters from
displaying their energy use or simply using diesel generators. Some have
just moved their plants indoors.

But with such high-powered operations, one of the worst consequences isn't
just getting caught -- a police training manual shows photos of growers who
were fatally electrocuted while tending their plants.

"You'd have to be a PG&E-type electrician to set up some of these systems,"
Garcia said.