Grid Limitations Increase Prices for Electricity

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa.

The problem already affects about 40 million people from metropolitan New York to Virginia as well as 18 million in Southern California. Similar but smaller price increases will hit New England, the San Francisco Bay Area and the Seattle-Portland and Phoenix-Tucson corridors until new transmission lines are built.

Over all, the Energy Department estimates, congestion charges in 2008 will add $8 billion or so