Citizen Tom

The Prince William Committee of 100 has planned another timely forum on April 17th. Here is the subject.

“Lights Out In Prince William :

Is There A Plan For Our Energy Future?”

Is Northern Virginia facing the prospect of blackouts? If so, is importing power from West Virginia the answer? Or, is the answer more natural gas fueled power generation in Virginia? Coal? Nuclear? How much can conservation reduce energy demand in the Commonwealth? How should Virginia balance new power generation and energy technologies against the demands of growth, reasonable cost, conservation and climate changes such as global warming? Will rates skyrocket after expiration of the rate cap this summer, especially with the increases in the price of all fuels?In making its case for a new 500 kv power line to carry power generated in West Virginia to Northern Virginia, Paul D. Koonce, chief executive officer of Dominion Energy , stated in January 2007, “The prospect of rolling blackouts in Northern Virginia as early as the summer of 2011 is very real. We took potential best-in-class conservation efforts and other alternatives into account in considering all of the possible solutions to a looming problem and the only answer is to build a line. Pursuing any other action would be just wishful thinking that puts us on a collision course with potential blackouts.” Supporters of the project stated electrical demand in Northern Virginia has grown by about 40 percent over the last decade and is projected to grow by another 8 percent by 2011.

In 2007, the General Assembly passed and the Governor signed into law, legislation that lifts the existing rate cap a year ahead of schedule and reregulates the business of marketing electrical power. Instead of setting a utility’s profit based on operational costs - the approach in place before electric power deregulation - the State Corporation Commission will base profit targets on the average earnings of a peer group of utilities in the Southeast.

Green-minded citizens are pursuing strategies to reduce the impact of energy consumption on global warming, such as high efficiency clean fuel cars, hybrid designed vehicles, bio-fuels, smart thermostats in our homes, green building designs, high efficiency light bulbs, LEED designed buildings, and this list goes on. Leading Virginia legislators don’t think this approach will suffice. State Sen. Frank Wagner, a Virginia Beach Republican, has stated “For Virginia to maintain an economically competitive posture, we’re going to have to be able to generate electricity within the confines of our own state.”

Indeed, importing power from out of state and energy conservation are not the only strategies under consideration. Richmond-based Dominion Resources Inc. is on the verge of gaining approval for a new coal-fired power station in Wise County. LS Power has just acquired an option for land in Prince William County to build a gas-fired power plant. Meanwhile Congress and the Bush Administration are debating opening the Virginia outer continental shelf to drilling to determine the extent of natural gas resources off our shores.

The current fuel mix for electric power generation in the United States is predominantly coal (49.7%), followed by nuclear (19.3%) and natural gas (18.7%). These three sources account for 87.7 percent of all electricity generation in the U.S. The other sources, totaling 12.3 percent include hydroelectric (6.5%), petroleum (3.0%), and “other” (solar, wind power, etc. at 2.9%). US Department of Energy

On April 22, 2008, the 38th Anniversary of Earth Day, people will be walking, jogging, rowing, biking , power gliding, taking public transportation, and (yes) driving and even flying (sorry for the ozone impacts) to Earth Day events all around the country. Here in Prince William, a few days before Earth Day, the Prince William Committee of 100 will hold a public forum to learn more about the future of electric power generation and its impacts on Virginia.

 

 

Here is the time and place.

Thursday, April 17th

 

Meet & Greet 6:30 p.m.

Dinner 7:00 p.m.

Program begins 7:45 p.m.

 

Four Points by Sheraton, 10800 Vandoor, Manassas

 

Dinner reservations are due today. However, you can plan on just attending the program. For more details, check out the PWC100 website here. You will be glad you did.