Western Governors have a long history of leadership in developing and advocating policy for secure, reliable, diverse, affordable and environmentally sound energy for their states and the nation. And Western states continue to shape their energy futures through cooperative action among themselves and with the federal government, the private sector and non-profit organizations.

The governors’ have been in the forefront of efforts regionally and at the national level to ensure the electric system is adequate, reliable and well managed so the West does not see a repeat of the energy shortages and extraordinary prices seen in 2000-2001. Currently, Western Governors are exploring clean and diversified energy options; encouraging pro-active transmission expansion; promoting coordinated permitting of needed interstate transmission expansion; developing a renewable energy tracking system; and urging the adoption of federal legislation to make reliability standards mandatory.

Clean and Diversified Energy Initiative
Governors believe energy efficiency, solar wind, geothermal, biomass, clean coal technologies and advanced natural gas technologies provide promise for supplying a portion of our energy needs. Traditional resources -- oil, natural gas, coal and hydropower – will continue to play a significant role in meeting future energy needs, as well. Building on the successful WGA North American Energy Summit held in April 2004, Western governors adopted a resolution on clean and diversified energy for the West. By June 2006, Governors will determine the feasibility of and recommendations for generating 30,000 MW of new clean energy generation and improving the efficiency of energy use by 20 percent. A working group will be formed to assist in the evaluation and development of recommendations.

Transmission Expansion
Western Governors launched a new era in transmission planning with the release of the report Conceptual Plans for Electricity Transmission in the West; and they explored related financing issues in a separate report, Financing Electricity Transmission Expansion in the West.

In their Energy Policy Roadmap, the Governors urged the industry, states, provinces to implement a pro-active Western Interconnection transmission planning process. As a result, a collaborative interconnection-wide process has been initiated by the Seam Steering Group-Western Interconnection. In addition, four sub-regional planning efforts are underway:

• Rocky Mountain Area Transmission Planning Study
• Southwest Transmission Expansion Plan
• Northwest Transmission Assessment Committee
• Southwest Area Transmission study.

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