PG&E Comments On President Obama’s Climate Proposal
“We appreciate the broad view that President Obama outlined in his remarks today on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. As a California utility, PG&E’s current efforts to reduce greenhouse gases are focused on meeting the goals of the state’s Global Warming Solutions Act in ways that are most cost-effective for customers and ensure continued reliability. We have committed to making major additional investments in clean energy technologies and the infrastructure to support them, and so we are pleased with the President’s focus on making permitting more efficient and effective in order to expedite the build out of this new energy infrastructure and technology.
We look forward to reviewing the details of the President’s proposal, and engaging with the administration to develop and advance effective energy and environmental policies that align with the efforts already under way in our state, including increasing energy productivity, reducing emissions, making the electric grid more flexible and resilient, modernizing our natural gas system, and taking advantage of the abundant supply of domestic clean energy sources. We have long supported a balanced and comprehensive approach to emissions reductions, but also recognize that some regional flexibility should be preserved. We hope this proposal can be crafted in that spirit.
For example, over the past 30 years, California and PG&E have avoided the release of more than 180 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions through the promotion of energy efficiency programs. At the same time, we have built a stable of power generation resources that is one of the cleanest in the nation. Nearly 60 percent of the energy we provide comes from carbon-free resources, including solar, wind, geothermal, nuclear and the country’s largest utility-owned hydroelectric system. In addition, our fossil-fuel plants are among the newest and cleanest natural gas-fueled plants in the country, designed to take a state-of-the-art approach to greenhouse gas emissions reduction. We are committed to building on these successes.”
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE: PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation’s cleanest energy to 15 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit: http://www.pge.com/about/newsroom/ and www.pgecurrents.com.
Statement by Thomas F. Farrell II, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Dominion on the President’s Climate Plan
“Dominion has long been committed to a comprehensive national energy and environmental policy that balances the nation’s needs for clean, reliable and affordable energy with reducing our environmental footprint — a plan that is cost effective, economy wide and market based. We have put our words into action by making significant investments that should reduce our CO2 combustion emissions by about a third by 2015 and lower other emissions by as much as 90 percent by 2020.
“We look forward to continue working with the Administration and other stakeholders on regulatory opportunities to further promote the use of lower-carbon sources of electricity. As the President’s proposal recognizes, the nation must continue to rely on an “all of the above” approach that includes renewable energy, advanced nuclear, natural gas and clean coal technologies as well as energy efficiency, conservation and demand-side management. The key will be doing so in a way that recognizes the broader energy and economic issues through regulatory certainty, compliance flexibility, technological feasibility and cost effectiveness.”
Dominion (NYSE:D) is one of the nation’s largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 27,000 megawatts of generation, 11,000 miles of natural gas transmission, gathering and storage pipeline, and 6,400 miles of electric transmission lines. Dominion operates one of the nation’s largest natural gas storage systems with 947 billion cubic feet of storage capacity and serves retail energy customers in 15 states. More information is available on the company’s Web site, www.dom.com.
Clean Energy Group’s Clean Air Policy Initiative Statement on President Obama’s Plan for Greenhouse Gases
The members of the Clean Energy Group’s Clean Air Policy Initiative are supportive of policies that encourage the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through the modernization of the electric generating sector. We continue to believe that federal legislation is the most effective tool to do so. However, absent federal legislation, we support EPA’s regulation of greenhouse gases under the federal Clean Air Act. Today, we view the President’s renewed focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions as an important step. As our member companies’ experience demonstrates, greenhouse gas reductions can be achieved cost‐effectively. We look forward to working cooperatively with industry, the Administration, and other stakeholders to inform EPA’s development of effective power plant rules that reduce greenhouse gases, as required by law.
Calpine Corporation Statement on President Obama’s Plan to Cut Carbon Pollution
Calpine is the nation’s leading, clean generator of electricity. We operate one of the largest fleets of low-carbon, efficient, natural gas-fired power plants and the largest geothermal generation facility. We have long been an industry leader in environmental stewardship, advocating for strong environmental policies and voluntarily taking steps to reduce our environmental impact. Calpine has actively supported legislation addressing climate change and promoting appropriate clean energy development. In the absence of federal legislation, we support EPA regulation of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) as required by the Clean Air Act. We believe such action is necessary to transform our power generation sector from reliance on older, dirtier, less efficient power plants to newer, cleaner, more efficient, and affordable natural gas-fired power plants. Accordingly, we applaud today’s announcement by President Obama directing the EPA to proceed with regulation of GHGs from both new and existing power plants. We look forward to working with the Administration as the regulatory process moves forward to ensure the new power plant rules effectively reduce greenhouse gases.
National Grid Endorses President Obama’s Call For Initiatives To Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Waltham, Mass. — National Grid president Tom King commended President Barack Obama for his announcement today on common-sense energy initiatives, including his call for EPA to proceed in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from new and existing power plants. King and U.S. Senator Mark Warner co-chair the Alliance Commission on National Energy Efficiency Policy. In February, the Commission released its Energy 2030 report, which found that the United States can double its energy productivity, create over a million jobs, and achieve a one-third reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 by investing in and modernizing the nation’s energy infrastructure and educating citizens and business leaders to use energy more wisely. According to King, the President’s announcement today is an important milestone on that journey. “National Grid has long supported federal legislation as a comprehensive means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, in the absence of federal legislation, we support EPA moving forward with greenhouse gas regulations under the Clean Air Act,” King commented. “National Grid looks forward to working constructively with the Administration, EPA, members of the energy industry, and other stakeholders to ensure the regulations reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector and advance America’s efficient and clean energy future.”
National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE:NGG) is a leading electricity and gas company that connects consumers to energy sources through its networks. The company is at the heart of one of the greatest challenges facing our society — to create new, sustainable energy solutions for the future and developing an energy system that underpins economic prosperity in the 21st century.