Customer Newsletter, March 2010

Weathering the "Perfect Storm"

Our nation’s electric utility industry is heading Program Is Back! into a “perfect storm”. While the amount of electricity we use everyday steadily increases, the capacity to generate and transmit that power is running short. In the past, fossil fuel-fired power plants were the go-to option to meet growing new demand with proven technology, but looming federal regulations could make electricity less affordable for everyone, a concern that Southern Power District has been sharing with its customers for the past year.

In December, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a part of the executive branch, declared that six key greenhouse gases from auto emissions, including carbon dioxide, are “endangering public health and welfare” of current and future generations. Emissions from motor vehicles of four of those greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, were also said to contribute to dangerous air pollution.

The endangerment finding puts a foot in the door for EPA to issue sweeping new rules that could impose strict limits on carbon emissions, including those from power plants. The cost of generating electricity would go up, and in the end those costs would hit consumer pocketbooks.

Congress is mulling over its own set of CO2 regulations, and we must continue to ask that any resulting legislation be fair, affordable and technologically achievable. If passed, Congressional legislation should also preempt use of any other existing laws, fixing a regulatory disaster that would only add costs for consumers with a mess of overlapping regulatory red tape.

Whatever the political outcome, the honest truth is that the change won’t come overnight. Fossil fuels currently account for more than 70 percent of all electricity generated in the United States. New technology will be key to both keeping these traditional options up-to-date and refining new ways to affordably keep the lights on. Cleaner use of fossil fuels, an increased use of renewable energy, and a big commitment to energy efficiency will all be necessary.

In order to assure that climate change legislation is fair, affordable and technologically achievable, we need your voice to be heard. Join the Our Energy, Our Future awareness campaign and share your concerns with our elected officials in Washington. You can do this by visiting www.southernpd.com/oeof. If you have already participated in this campaign, feel free to send additional messages.

Other stories you'll find inside this edition:
  • Refrigerator Recycling Program is Back!
    • Chances are, that old working refrigerator or freezer in your garage or basement is running up your electric bill. More>>>
  • EnergyWise Tip: "Conserving (Hot) Water is EnergyWise"
    • As a primarily agricultural-based state, water is especially important to the quality of live in Nebraska, and all Nebraskans have a responsibility to use it wisely. More>>>
  • Short Circuits: Old Wiring Could Be Hazardous
    • Did you know that one-third of American homes were built over 50 years ago? Think about the changes in demand for electricity since that time. More>>>
  • Scholarship Applications Available
    • If you know a recent high school graduate, or a student who will graduate from high school in 2010, encourage that individual to apply for Southern's Utility Lineman Scholarship Program. The deadline is fast approaching: April 1, 2010. More>>>
  • Recipe Box
    • Bakes Pork Chops Enjoy!>>>