On February 7, the Electric Power Supply Association (EPSA), the national trade association that represents the competitive electric supply industry, called for a federal cap on green house gas emissions. Apparently, EPSA has linked its support for GHG caps to a requirement that all new generation be competitively bid.
On the following day, February 8, the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), the national trade association representing the investor-owned utilities, announced its adoption of a set of general "principles" to guide Congress on the development of climate change legislation. Unlike EPSA, which endorsed mandatory carbon caps, EEI's principles do not endorse mandatory emissions reductions. EEI wants Congress to:
- Assure stable, long-term public/private funding to support the development and deployment of needed technology solutions.
- Assure compliance timelines consistent with the expected development and deployment timelines of needed technologies.
- Employ market mechanisms to secure cost-effective GHG reductions and provide a reasonable transition and an effective economic safety valve.
- Establish a long-term price signal for carbon that is moderate, does not harm the economic competitiveness of U.S. industry and stimulates future investments in zero- or low-carbon technologies and processes.
- Address regulatory or economic barriers to the use of carbon capture and storage and increased nuclear, wind or other zero- or low-GHG technologies.
- Minimize economic disruptions or disproportionate impacts.
- Recognize early actions/investments made to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
- Provide for the robust use of a broad range of domestic and international GHG offsets.
- Provide certainty and a consistent national policy.
- Recognize the international dimensions of the challenge and facilitate technology transfer.
APPA and NRECA are also working to develop a policy positions they expect to bring to their memberships later this year. In 2006, APPA created a CEO Taskforce to tackle the issue it has met twice on the matter and is in the final stages of advancing principles, to guide the debate.