January 22, 2001

Several mammoth construction projects are under way to build power generating plants that are considered essential to easing deepening electricity crisis in California; with no end in sight to energy problems, risk of blackouts may be even greater during hottest summer days when state normally hits its peak demand; even though projects represent total of 6,723 megawatts, or enough to power nearly seven million homes, they do not by themselves guarantee adequate supply of electricity since roughly half of existing power plants are more than 30 years old and are in danger of being retired; photos; map (M)

Interview with architect James Stewart Polshek, who has tackled series of important projects that have caught public's eye; photos (M)

Pope John Paul II names 37 new cardinals, shaping future of Roman Catholic Church and institution that will someday elect his successor; record number includes 3 Americans and 10 from Latin America, deepening church's reach in developing world; Americans are archbishops Edward M Egan of New York and Theodore E McCarrick of Washington, who hold key posts in church's hierarchy, and Rev Avery Dulles, Jesuit theologian at Fordham University who has defended pope's policies against liberal critics; while nine appointees are from Curia in keeping with Vatican tradition, new selections reflect pope's desire to broaden church's reach particularly in third world; largest concentration of 10 new cardinals are from Latin America, which as bloc will have 26 voting cardinals; Italy will have single largest number, at 24; photos (M)

Profile of New York Mets outfielder Benny Agbayani, who is spending off-season in his native Hawaii; photo (M)

Former Pres Bill Clinton begins private life in Chappaqua, NY, shaking hands with residents, signing autographs and picking up snack at local deli; photo (M)