by Debra DeHaney-Howard
May 22, 2006

Former Louisiana Senator John Breaux addressed attendees at the Conference of Mayors Energy and Environment Summit May 11 on the role traditional, full service electric utilities – which are electric companies that generate and transmit power to its customers – play in diversifying the nation’s fuel supply.

In his opening remarks, Breaux – who now serves as Chairman of the Community Power Alliance (CPA), a coalition of vertically integrated power companies that provide energy to over 11 million customers – highlighted the need for fuel diversity in our nation’s fuel mix given the dramatic increases in energy costs. He stated that full'service utilities are in the best position to develop and maintain diverse fuel portfolios.

“Traditional full'service utilities offer the best opportunity to invest in new technologies that hold the promise to provide more reliable and cost effective electricity,” said Breaux. “A diversified fuel portfolio, along with substantial investment in new technology, will help negate America’s addiction to foreign oil.”

With record high gasoline prices, which were exacerbated as a result of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita Breaux discussed the various alternative fuel programs offered by CPAs members. Breaux stated that many of its members have diversified portfolios that encompass renewable fuels such as biomass, hydro, wind, solar and geothermal and spoke to the many benefits traditional utilities bring to a community, including providing access to affordable and reliable energy.

Breaux said, “Traditional utilities can achieve this advantage because the importance of a diversified fuel portfolio has been learned through experience, and they are focused on the long-term for the benefit of the customer and the community. Because traditional companies can be flexible to what fuel source is best at a particular time, consumer benefit from lower rates.” Concluding his speech, Breaux encouraged the mayors to be part of a diverse coalition that calls for new comprehensive energy policy that is balanced and reliable and makes significant steps to reduce the nation’s dependency on oil.

Following Breaux’s remarks, Akron Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic, Chair of the Conference of Mayors Energy Council, led a discussion about the nation’s future energy options. In his opening remarks, Plusquellic noted that more than eighty-five percent of nation’s energy comes from fossil fuels – coal, oil and natural gas. He stated that the “dramatic rise in gasoline prices shows how tenuous our primary energy sources really are.”

Plusquellic said, “While it’s very important to discuss short-term actions to our current energy crisis, we do need to look at long-term solutions that include new forms of energy.” He noted that the nation’s long-term solutions must include renewable energy and nuclear energy, as well. “As we rethink and redefine our energy mix, expending the necessary resources to increase our usage of renewable energy sources such wind, solar, geothermal and hydro power, and nuclear energy – which emits zero air pollutants or greenhouse gases – must be considered, said Plusquellic.”

Manitowoc (WI) Mayor Kevin Crawford led the Best Practice session on future energy options with an overview of his city’s current energy portfolio. He noted the significant savings his city has realized since implementing a number of energy programs, including the new 64 megawatt petroleum coke fired power-generating facility, which provides low-cost energy for the residents of Manitowoc. Crawford said, “Manitowoc families and businesses will receive benefits from our plant, including some of the lowest rates in the nation.”

Following Crawford was Dan Hodges, Government Affairs Liaison for Colorado Springs. Hodges discussed the use of hydro power in Colorado Springs noting that three hydroelectric power plants produce 33 megawatts of electricity – which is enough energy to meet the needs of about 11,000 households in Colorado Springs.

Expanding on points raised by Plusquellic, Nancy McCann, Solid Waste Director for Tampa provided an overview of the role waste-to-energy plays in powering our cities. She stated that there are “eighty-nine waste-to-energy plants operating in 27 states managing about 13 percent of the nation’s trash, or about 95,000 tons each day.” McCann said, “Waste-to-energy generates about 2,500 megawatts of electricity, powering nearly 2.3 million homes.” Cities with waste-to-energy facilities on average recycle 35 percent of their trash as compared with the national recycling rate of 30 percent. At the conclusion of her remarks, McCann noted that waste-to-energy is recognized as renewable energy under the recently passed Energy Policy Act of 2005.