California’s energy policies have been walking a tightrope for years, but now, the state is contemplating an extreme measure that could tip it into full-blown crisis mode: taking over oil refineries. According to a recent Los Angeles Times article, California policymakers are seriously considering state ownership of refineries to ensure gasoline supply remains stable as private refiners shut down operations​. This move—if it happens—could create a cascade of economic and logistical disasters, exacerbating the very problems the state claims to be solving.