Did Regulation Cause Drop in California Energy Consumption?

Electricity consumption per capita in California stopped increasing in the 1970s, around the same time policymakers had also enacted stricter energy-efficiency policies, such as mandates on buildings and appliances. As electricity consumption continued to rise in other states, regulation advocates hailed California as a role model for the rest of the nation. But according to an economist at Georgetown University, California’s savings are largely due to other long-run trends.

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2013/06/18/did-regulation-cause-drop-in-california-energy-consumption/