Panel is Told Grid Needs Oversight
Edward Iwata
2003-09-04
WASHINGTON -- Federal lawmakers were urged Wednesday to strengthen the enforcement and reliability of energy standards to prevent another vast blackout like the Aug. 14 power failure that pitched millions of people into darkness.
At a packed congressional hearing, state governors and energy regulators argued that a government or industry body needs the overarching authority to set up and police mandatory energy transmission policies in the nation's chaotic network of utility companies, energy generators and power grid managers.
It could be the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, known as FERC, or the North American Electric Reliability Council, the industry body called NERC. Or it could be regional transmission authorities, backed by FERC and others. ''We have to decide who is responsible,'' said Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat, whose state suffered $1 billion in losses from the blackout. ''We need a reliable (entity) that can enforce the standards.''
The hearing was called by Rep. Billy Tauzin, R-La., chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, to look into the causes of the nation's worst-ever blackout, which swept across eight states in the Midwest and Northeast, as well as Ontario. Also during the hearing:
* Despite pressure from lawmakers, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said he would not speculate on the possible causes. He said he would not rush the U.S.-Canadian blackout investigation, which will take several more weeks to conclude.
''It's far too complex a task . . . (because) 10,000 individual events happened across thousands of square miles in a span of nine seconds,'' Abraham said.
Energy experts and media reports have speculated that the blackout was triggered by overloaded and downed transmission lines, computer or equipment failure, human error or other reasons.
* Committee Democrats accused the Bush administration of exploiting the blackout to rush through energy legislation that would allow more oil and gas production, among other changes.
''It is ridiculous to use blackouts as an argument to allow drilling in the Alaskan wilderness and other pristine lands,'' said Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass.
At the same time, Republicans on the committee chided Democratic lawmakers for using the blackout to trash deregulation or push pet energy projects, including solar power and fuel-cell technology.
''(Don't) blame all the problems on deregulation or President Bush's energy policies,'' said Rep. Joseph Pitts, R-Pa. ''If done the right way, deregulation can be successful.''
* All agreed that more large blackouts are likely unless the nation's transmission grid -- a 150,000-mile patchwork of power lines from the Canadian to Mexican border -- is overhauled.
The hearing continues today.
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