New legislation can enhance capacity and reliability, EEI says

- When Congress returns after Labor Day, lawmakers will take up pending energy legislation that already contains five key provisions needed to bolster U.S. electric transmission capacity and help ensure power system reliability, EEI President Thomas Kuhn recently declared.

"In the wake of (the recent) multistate power outages, people are naturally asking what can be done to upgrade and improve our transmission systems," Kuhn said. "There are elements within the bills that House and Senate conferees will address in September that can go a long way toward achieving that goal."

Those elements include provisions on mandatory reliability standards, changes in the tax code to stimulate investment in transmission facilities, and improvements in the process that governs siting of transmission lines.

Underscoring the importance of comprehensive national energy legislation, Kuhn said the time to act is now: "The legislation now before Congress contains important provisions that will enhance our nation's fuel diversity and help ensure a sustainable, affordable and reliable supply of energy for the United States."

Kuhn also saluted the perseverance and grit of the millions of customers who lost their electric service last week, and he praised their understanding of the complex tasks involved in restoring service quickly over such a large area.

"The upbeat attitude and ingenuity of so many customers truly helped the cause of the many thousands of dedicated electric company employees, who worked nonstop to get the lights back on more quickly than anticipated," said Kuhn, who noted that once again, "we are reminded of how crucial electricity has become to the very fabric of our lives."

"The electric utility industry recognizes the crucial importance of reinforcing the reliability of what we believe is the best electric power system in the world," Kuhn declared. "While there is clearly no single magic bullet to achieve this, we believe strongly that House and Senate lawmakers have an unparalleled opportunity to craft a final legislative product that contains critically important steps to help ensure electric system reliability and bolster transmission capacity. Enhancement of our nation's electric system will bring major reliability and economic benefits to customers."