Oregon governor Calls for Summit to Unplug Energy Crisis

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Grassroots Information Coordination Center (GICC) : One Thread

Kitzhaber Calls for Summit to Unplug Energy Crisis December 14, 2000, 03:45 PM

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber asked federal officials Thursday to hold an energy summit meeting in the West next week to deal with what he called the “region’s growing energy crisis.”

Kitzhaber made the request by letter to U.S. Energy Secretary Bill Richardson. He asked that Richardson and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission convene the summit meeting.

“Events are overtaking us and we run the risk of becoming victims of a set of circumstances which are rapidly moving beyond our control," the governor said.

Newslink: Read the governor's letter

The move comes after Richardson directed Northwest power generators to send power to California to avoid emergency shortages in that state.

Kitzhaber also joined Washington Gov. Gary Locke's call for short-term federal price caps on electricity throughout the region.

Kitzhaber said at a news conference the Northwest faces possible power shortages of its own this winter because of lack of rainfall to produce hydroelectricity. He says region-wide action is needed if the entire West is to avoid power shortages in a cold and dry winter.

http://www.kgw.com/kgwnews/oregonwash_story.html?StoryID=10781

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), December 16, 2000


Moderation questions? read the FAQ