This week, a New England group is urging approval of plans to give power companies incentive to expand generation capacity.
"New England's own demand for electricity is rapidly outpacing supply. Experts estimate New England's electric surplus will run out as soon as 24 months from now, which will result in the California-style rolling blackouts that will cripple our region's economy, jeopardize our safety and result in higher consumer prices," said Cindy Eid, Executive Director of the New England Coalition for Reliable Electricity (NECORE) — a group dedicated to promoting economic growth and ensuring a cleaner, reliable and more affordable supply of electricity in New England communities.
"For that reason, NECORE believes that the need for the Locational Installed Capacity Proposal (LICAP) has never been so pressing to develop additional electricity generation. LICAP compensates suppliers for expanding their plants' generating capacity where that extra electricity is most needed. This in turn will make it easier and more affordable to start replacing aging, inefficient, and dirty plants with new, cleaner, and more efficient plants," added Eid.
Proposed by the New England Independent System Operator (ISO-NE), a nonprofit corporation that coordinates the region's power supply and keeps electricity flowing, the Locational Installed Capacity Proposal (LICAP) would prevent future electric bills from skyrocketing, provide cleaner and more affordable electricity, create additional good-paying jobs and lead to cleaner air and water.
A recent Charles River Associates International study also found that over a period of 20 years the improved electricity network made possible in large part by LICAP could provide (across the region) an annual economic benefit of $160 per household and could lead to the creation of nearly 16,000 new jobs.
The California Independent System Operator also asked residents to conserve their energy use.
"Simply improving energy efficiency and conservation measures will not solve the problem alone. While such improvements would be desirable and indeed worthwhile, they won't be enough to satisfy future energy demand.
Better distribution and consumption of the exact same energy supply we have now won't do the trick when we ultimately need a larger energy supply to distribute and consume, however efficiently," said Eid.
