Western legislators talk energy development, transmission

Sep 15 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Ariel Hansen The Times-News, Twin Falls, Idaho

Energy. In practice, generating it and transmitting it is hard. Even harder is writing energy policy that takes into account the local environment, carbon emissions reductions, costs, benefits, individual state laws, federal law and, oh yeah, rising customer demand.

As part of a four-day regional conference attracting legislators from Western states to Sun Valley Resort, the Council of State Governments held a session on energy policy Tuesday morning, with an emphasis on renewable energy generation and how to promote regional energy transmission.

"If we don't lead, we can count on FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) to step in," said Rich Halvey, energy program director for the Western Governors' Association. "What is critical is not to look at projects in isolation, but as a large, regional system that is going to require a large, regional solution."

The council heard from Idaho Power Co. Manager of Operations Analysis and Development Kip Sikes about challenges faced locally and regionally. He said that programs to shift existing power loads can be implemented in one to three years, and power generation facilities can come online two to five years from conception, but major transmission lines take up to 10 years to complete.

Sikes said he has learned that involving the public in siting a transmission line from the get-go is more effective than bringing an outlined proposal to them.

"You don't show up with the route on the map, because everyone knows where they live," he said. "If it's close, they're going to oppose you, and if it's not close they're going to ignore you."

Sikes argued that states should be working together to figure out where future transmission lines will go now, because if they don't, the federal government will trump states' rights and invoke national security prerogatives to establish energy corridors.

"We can't afford to have any holdouts," he said. "Either get in the game or go home, because the time is now."

To help 14 Western states and British Columbia arrive at large-scale, regional solutions, the Western Electricity Coordinating Council recently empanelled a Transmission Expansion Policy Planning Committee. The co-chair of the steering group, Jim Tarpey, also addressed the legislators on Tuesday.

He noted that energy use in the West will double in 24 years at current rates of growth, and that short-term and long-term solutions will be needed to address that usage.

The group is conducting a study to be completed next year showing how the next decade's worth of energy projects in the West will or could connect, as well as a study due in 2013 that examines energy from the regional policy level addressing growth, carbon emissions reduction, energy generation mix and other critical issues.

Ariel Hansen may be reached at ahansen@magicvalley.com or 788-3475.