September 2011

"The One Thing I Can't Unplug is: _____" Contest

September 1, 2011

Electricity seems to flow miraculously from our wall sockets, powering the clock radio that wakes us in the morning and the bedside lamp we turn out at night ñ and nearly every facet of our life in between. But what if you only had enough electricity to power one item? What would you choose?

Tell us and you'll have a chance to win an Apple iPAD2 or a $50 Visa gift card.

Enter the "One Thing I Can't Unplug is: "___" Contest by completing the entry from below. (Think creatively. The more creative you are, the more your entry will stand out to our judges.)

You only have until October 12th to enter, so don't wait!

Action needed to protect New Mexico’s economy

September 8, 2011

BREAKING NEWS: Action needed to protect New Mexico’s economy

Click here to find out what you can do to keep electricity affordable in New Mexico.

Affordable electric power plays a key role in the financial security of the families, businesses and communities across the West. And that stability is being increasingly challenged by unreasonable regulatory actions and policies.

Several of those regulations threaten to increase the cost of electricity and punish the economy in New Mexico. In late 2010, the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board (EIB) approved state rules requiring reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, but the EIB approved the rules without first completing the proper economic analyses of the rules’ effects on New Mexico. Read more »

The EPA Juggernaut

September 14, 2011

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) continues their crusade against coal-fired electric generation. Proposed EPA regulations will raise electric rates and reduce reliability for the nation’s and Nebraska’s electric consumers. The regulation I refer to is the Clean Air Act regulation known as the Electric Generation Unit (EGU) Maximum Achievable Control Technology rule. “Maximum Achievable” are the operative words here. They mean EPA doesn’t give a hoot what it costs consumers! This rule will cover coal-fired power plants greater than 25 megawatts and is designed to reduce emissions of mercury, non-mercury metallic air pollutants, and acid gases from coal-fired generation through use of new pollution control devices. The rule is to be finalized by the end of November and become effective in February 2012. Facilities will only have 3 years after rule becomes effective to comply. Read more »

Act today to protect New Mexico’s economy

September 14, 2011

In late 2010, New Mexico's Environmental Improvement Board (EIB) approved regulations requiring reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. These regulations were approved before the EIB could conduct the proper economic analyses of the regulations' effects on New Mexico's economy and electricity rates.

Now, the EIB is rethinking the regulations. Unless they repeal them, New Mexico’s economy will bear the financial burden of these unreasonable regulations, and to make things worse, we’ll see no environmental benefits.

Now that we know the true economic costs, New Mexicans need to tell the EIB that we support the repeal. Read more »

Have you seen the Keep Electricity Affordable Street Team?

September 15, 2011

We've been traveling around the region meeting with people just like you to discuss the issues impacting the affordability of electricity. Have you seen us at your state or local fair?

If you see us, stop by and let us know that you support the work we're doing to keep electricity affordable.

Can't get to a fair to meet us? Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter!

For farmers, water and electricity go hand-in-hand

September 19, 2011

By Shawn Martini | Why is affordable electricity so important to agriculture? Because water is important too.

Much of the productive capacity of Colorado farmland is directly attributable to irrigation. Farmers in Colorado can grow the wide range of commodities they do because they have access to irrigation water. But this access is not cheap.

In addition to paying for much of the water they pump, farmers must also pay to power the very pumps that pull the irrigation water from the ground. Irrigation pumps run on electric motors, sometimes as large at 50 horsepower. That takes a lot of electricity. Read more »

About the Author

Shawn Martini

Part of the agriculture and rural way of life since birth, Shawn is an agribusiness professional in Denver, Colo. His family has farmed grapes and almonds in California, and corn and soybeans in South Dakota. He put himself through college working on cattle ranches across northeastern Colorado and never turns down an opportunity to be around good horses. He writes frequently on the intersection of public policy and the agriculture industry. He lives in Brighton, Colo. Shawn is a regular contributor to the Affordability Matters blog.

The congressional panel posed a straightforward question

September 21, 2011

By Dick Welle | The congressional panel posed a straightforward question.

The Sept. 19 hearing asked, “Are excessive energy regulations and policies limiting energy independence, killing jobs and increasing prices for consumers?”

I answered with an emphatic “yes.”

I was honored with an opportunity to testify before the House Small Business Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy and Trade at the field hearing on Colorado’s Western Slope, near where the rural electric cooperative I manage, White River Electric Association, is located.

In my comments I discussed the sense of responsibility our co-op feels to its member-consumers, noting that no regulation or mandate is more persuasive than the pledge we give to our neighbors to provide them with reliable and responsible electric power at a reasonable rate. Read more »

About the Author

Dick Welle is the General Manager of White River Electric.

Take Action: Tell Congress to Keep Electricity Affordable

September 22, 2011

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed new regulations that will affect electricity prices for all American consumers. H.R. 2401, the Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts on the Nation (TRAIN) Act, would require an economic analysis and delay of these costly regulations until the full impact of the EPAs regulatory agenda has been studied.

Today we are asking you to ask your member of Congress to support this legislation, which provides an additional 18 months for utilities to comply with EPA regulations. Please go to this link and follow the directions to send an email of support for the bill, which we expect to be considered by the U.S. House of Representatives late this week. Read more »