NRDC, EEI Issue Joint Statement to NARUC
WASHINGTON - The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) today released a joint statement supporting policies that continue to accelerate the clean energy transition; promote investment in smarter energy infrastructure, while ensuring affordable and reliable electricity; and facilitate collaboratively developed rate design and regulatory reforms that accommodate rapid technology change and evolving customer expectations.
The leading environmental organization and EEI, which represents the nation’s investor-owned electric companies, will work together to advance 21 wide-ranging policy recommendations that build upon America’s already significant and accelerating progress toward a clean energy future. While NRDC and EEI do not always agree, the release of the statement during the winter meeting of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) underscores both the critical role of state-level decisionmakers and the potential for common ground on solutions to electric industry challenges.
“Utilities have made remarkable progress in reducing carbon and other emissions while making energy products and services even more affordable and reliable for America’s homes and businesses,” said Ralph Cavanagh, energy co-director at NRDC. “But progress must accelerate in order to combat the worst effects of climate change, lower customer bills, and clean our air. To succeed, we need a reliable, modern electric system that’s smarter, cleaner, more dynamic, more flexible, and more secure. Our joint recommendations will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help get us there.”
“EEI’s member companies are committed to delivering America’s energy future,” added Phil Moeller, executive vice president of the business operations group and regulatory affairs at EEI. “At the center of our industry’s vision of the future is meeting customers’ needs by building and using smarter energy infrastructure, providing even cleaner energy, and creating the energy solutions customers want. This statement provides valuable opportunities to make progress on several key policy priorities, including smarter energy infrastructure, rate design, and regulatory reform.”
Cavanagh and Moeller announced support for these policies during a joint presentation to NARUC. This is the fourth NRDC/EEI statement submitted to NARUC over the past 15 years.
The joint statement is posted at: https://www.nrdc.org/resources/nrdceei-joint-statement-state-utility-regulators
For elaboration on NRDC’s perspective, see this blog by Ralph Cavanagh: https://www.nrdc.org/experts/ralph-cavanagh/nrdc-eei-recommendations-will-spur-clean-energy-progress
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The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC.
EEI is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. Our members provide electricity for about 220 million Americans and operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. As a whole, the electric power industry supports more than 7 million jobs in communities across the United States. In addition to our U.S. members, EEI has more than 60 international electric companies, with operations in more than 90 countries, as International Members, and hundreds of industry suppliers and related organizations as Associate Members. Visit www.eei.org and follow us on Twitter @Edison_Electric.