Building Careers and Shaping Public Policy

15 July 2002

The Honorable Max Baucus
United States Senate 
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator Baucus: 

The IEEE-USA would like to urge your support for the Senate electric power reliability language (Title II Sec. 206) in H.R. 4, as the bill is debated in conference. This language is vital to promoting and ensuring the sustained reliability of the electric grid in the United States and throughout North America. 

IEEE-USA represents approximately 240,000 electrical, electronic and computer engineers in the USA. The IEEE-USA Energy Policy Committee, consisting of members with expertise in all aspects of electrical power agrees that: 

• The ongoing decline in the quality and reliability of electric power negatively impacts the nation's economy. This decline is a consequence of under-investment in transmission and distribution infrastructure, the patchwork nature of deregulation and confusion over responsibility for reliability.
• No individual state is able to assure both reliable operation and economic efficiency of electric power in the United States. Federal action is needed to restore reliability. 
• Reliability and economic efficiency can only be achieved at the national and regional levels.

The Senate reliability language is essential and urgently needed to provide a legislative foundation for the reliability of electric power through a self-regulating industry reliability organization with the power to set standards for quality and reliability. 

We urge you and your fellow H.R. 4 conferees to adopt section 206 of H.R. 4 as approved by the Senate. Retaining this language in the energy bill is a must to protect the reliability of the North American transmission grid. Reliable electric power is critical to the economy, the environment, and national security. Without this language, consumers, industry and government are all exposed to increased risk of power outages, extended blackouts and widespread failure of the electric grid. Electricity may represent only 5% of the GDP, but without reliable electric power there is no modern economy. 

Thank you for your support and action. If you need further information, please contact Bill Williams at 202-530-8331, or at Bill.Williams@ieee.org.

Sincerely,

LeEarl A. Bryant, P.E.
2002 IEEE-USA President

(Similar Letter Sent to House and Senate Conferees
on Energy Policy Act of 2002, H.R. 4)

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Last Update:  15 July 2002
Staff Contact: Bill Williams, bill.williams@ieee.org

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