Official warns of energy crisis

DEADWOOD, S.D. — Construction of new electrical generation in the West is projected to grow by 6 percent, while demand for electricity is projected to increase by 19 percent over the next 10 years, according to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

FERC commissioner Suedeen Kelly, speaking on her own behalf, said the situation is nothing short of a crisis.


“There’s not enough time to build our way out,” Kelly told the Western Governors’ Association here Monday.

Kelly said Western states must band together to aggressively seek energy efficiency, noting that even small load reductions during peak usage times have proven to save millions of dollars. In addition to efficiency, Kelly said, Western states must immediately launch a massive and coordinated construction effort to link rural renewable energy and clean coal resources to high-load centers.

Jackson Hole Star-Tribune