D.C. Environmental Protection Agency enforcement actions under the Clean Air Act may be keeping utilities from performing routine maintenance. As a consequence, consumers could face brief price spikes and blackouts this summer, according to Sen. Frank H. Murkowski, Chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. In a letter to EPA Administrator Carol Browner, Murkowski asked, that EPA outline what steps it is going to take to assure the public and this committee that utilities will be free to conduct traditional maintenance activities without fear of lawsuits from EPA's Enforcement Office. The Chairman is concerned that, as summer approaches, many experts are predicting that narrow capacity reserve margins in certain areas of the Midwest and Southeast raise the specter of brownouts, and in some cases, huge price increases. He explains that certain enforcement activities of the EPA may be contributing to the risk of power outages and price spikes.
Complicated machinery requires constant and careful monitoring and maintenance.
The agency has proposed new changes that, when combined with EPA s recent enforcement actions, have made it nearly impossible for utility companies to determine what maintenance practices are allowed. In fact, EPA s statements have led many companies to believe that any maintenance practice would trigger NSR under the proposed changes. On behalf of myself and many other members of the Senate who are deeply concerned over the reliability of the nation s electric supply, I would like to have EPA reiterate this fact in writing, so that we can be assured that the NSR rule will not interfere in the ability of the United States to maintain a safe, reliable and ample supply of electric power. The senator reminded Browner that she has spoken passionately about the government s paramount role in protecting the health and safety of vulnerable segments of society, particularly the elderly. As you can imagine, this segment of our population would face increased risks in the event their air conditioning should fail, or should their electricity prices rise to extraordinary levels.