Blackout Anniversary Rekindles Debate Over New Power Lines
Electric Corridor Would Run Through Parts Of Western Pa.
POSTED: 5:57 pm EDT August 19,
2008
Utility companies say Pennsylvania's power supply is stretched too thin, and brownouts and blackouts are a real possibility within the next few years if hundreds of new lines are not built.The issue is resurfacing this week with the five-year anniversary of the worst blackout in North America, one that kept parts of the east coast in the dark for four days. It affected 40 million people and cost the power industry billions of dollars."Folks can't imagine a world where you flip the switch and the lights don't come on," said David Taylor, of the Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association. "But really, that's what we're facing right now. Pennsylvania really needs to strengthen our energy grid."
The United States Department of Energy is proposing building an electric transmission corridor, with hundreds of power lines running through parts of western Pennsylvania.That could prove to be lucrative for Mount Pleasant-based ABB, in Westmoreland County. The company employs more than 200 people to build high-voltage circuit breakers that are used by utility companies around the U.S."Also important to us is a reliable electric supply," said ABB vice president Aftab Khan. "If we don't have it, we can't meet our customer commitments, and that may have an impact to our business."Gov. Ed Rendell has spoken out against the idea of building a corridor between Washington County and Washington, D.C. Instead, he advocates alternative energy sources.U.S. Sen. Bob Casey told a federal energy committee that many people don't want the power lines in their backyards."It's a bad decision for the country, but it's especially bad for Pennsylvania," Casey said in October 2007. "You've got 50 out of 67 counties that are going to be impacted by this, and the quality-of-life impact this is going to have. It's really an insult to the people of Pennsylvania."The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission will vote on whether to build the corridor in September.
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Previous Stories:
- October 2, 2007: Feds Push Controversial Power Line Areas In Washington, Greene
- September 10, 2007: Power Line Project Catching More Opposition
- April 4, 2007: Power Line Project Causes Controversy In Wash. Co.
- March 30, 2007: Allegheny Energy Will Run Powerline Through Pennsylvania
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