Aug 20, 2001
The energy policy recommendations of the Governor's Energy Task Force represent a positive step in ensuring that Pennsylvania will meet its future energy needs, PPL Corporation said Monday (8/20).
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19981015/PHTH025 )
"PPL strongly endorses the three principles on which the draft energy policy recommendations are based: providing adequate energy supply; protecting health, safety and environmental quality; and promoting energy efficiency and conservation. PPL strongly endorses these principles," said James Seif, PPL vice president-Corporate Services.
"We applaud the Governor and members of this task force for pursuing the development of a long-term energy policy," said Seif. "By striking an appropriate balance among environmental sensitivities, improved energy efficiency and the building of new power plants, the proposed policy provides an excellent blueprint for sustained electric reliability in Pennsylvania and the region."
"The competitive electricity market provides the best framework for Pennsylvania to foster adequate growth in electric generation to meet consumer demand," said Seif. "It is vital that the state's energy policy reaffirms the administration's commitment to the free market."
In a letter submitted to the Governor's Energy Task Force Friday (8/17), PPL offered these comments on the three principles outlined in the task force's draft recommendations:
Providing adequate energy supply -- Provide for a diverse energy fuel mix by maintaining its commitment to coal use for generating electricity in Pennsylvania and working to ensure that existing nuclear power plants continue to operate in a safe and effective manner under current operating licenses. -- Encourage the development and use of clean coal technologies. -- Advocate expedited permitting from the Department of Environmental Protection and local authorities for low-emitting and efficient new power plant projects. -- Support the siting of new transmission and distribution lines needed to assure reliable service to all electric customers. Protecting health, safety and environmental quality -- Endorse a comprehensive, coordinated approach to regulating multiple pollutants. -- Implement this approach under a cap-and-trade system so that any emissions increase that might result from projects to maintain or increase generating capacity at a power plant would have to be offset by corresponding emission reductions. -- Work with the federal government and others to develop a strategy to deal with global climate change, its impacts on Pennsylvania and methods to mitigate those impacts including carbon sequestration. Promoting energy efficiency and conservation -- Encourage market-based approaches to energy efficiency and conservation for the long term, but, in the interim, continue to work with electric distribution companies to develop and promote voluntary demand-side response programs that result in the conservation of energy during high-price, peak-load periods. -- Provide incentives for improving energy efficiency in buildings and industrial processes, as well as for projects using clean distributed generation such as micro turbines and fuel cells. -- Support the concept of a single regional transmission organization for the Northeast to enhance regional electric reliability and create a more efficient energy market.
PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL), headquartered in Allentown, Pa., generates electricity at power plants in Pennsylvania, Maine and Montana; markets wholesale or retail energy in 42 U.S. states and Canada; and delivers electricity to nearly 6 million customers in Pennsylvania, the United Kingdom and Latin America.
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SOURCE: PPL Corporation
Contact: Daniel J. McCarthy of PPL, +1-610-774-5758 or fax:
+1-610-774-5281
Website: http://www.pplweb.com/