Governors and Utility CEOs forge next steps to meeting the West's electricity needs (6/30/08)

Western Governors and Utility CEOs forge next steps
to meeting the West's electricity needs

JACKSON, WYO. -- Western Governors and the CEOs of four major utilities shared their views today on actions that will be necessary to power the Western economy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

The discussion during the Western Governors' Association's Annual Meeting here focused on next steps in the governors' efforts to forge partnerships that will ensure the Western power system will continue to meet the growing demand for electricity. Joining the governors were David Sokol, Chairman of Mid-American Energy Holdings Company; John Fielder, President of Southern California Edison; Jeff Sterba, President and CEO of PNM Resources; and Michael Niggli, President of Sempra Generation.

The good news is that the West has much of the Nation's best renewable resources, said Gov. Dave Freudenthal, WGA Chairman. This region is also home to the nation's largest fossil fuel resources. The bad news is that the nation has not adequately invested in research and development and energy infrastructure to tap these resources.

The governors launched a partnership with the electricity industry, environmental interests, western Canadian provinces and the U.S. Department of Energy to identify areas rich in renewable energy resources and associated transmission needs. 

Our Western Renewable Energy Zones project will help build the consensus necessary to expeditiously develop the transmission to move power from renewable resource rich areas to consumers, Huntsman said.

The governors and CEOs agreed to strengthen communications between the utilities and states on ways to reduce electricity demand, accelerate the deployment of low-carbon emission generation and improve the operation of the transmission system. Gov. Freudenthal said the enormity of the challenge also requires close collaboration with the federal government. 

I'm not one who is comfortable inviting the federal government to help, but they need to act now if we are going to meet the energy and climate-change challenges we face, Freudenthal said. We cannot afford half measures.

The governors said the West and the nation need:

• massive expansion of the federal commitment to energy R&D;
• consistent, long-term policies to incentivize deployment of renewable and other low-carbon resources;
• responsive land management policies to enable the timely development of the West's resources and associated transmission, while protecting critical environmental values; and
• clear, long-term federal policies on greenhouse gas emissions.

At the conclusion of today's meeting the governors adopted a resolution stating their position and the actions needed to address transmission issues. It's available on the Web at www.westgov.org.

# # # # # 

The Western Governors' Association is an independent, nonprofit organization representing the governors of 19 states and three U.S.-Flag islands in the Pacific. Through their Association, the Western governors identify and address key policy and governance issues in natural resources, the environment, human services, economic development, international relations and public management.