U.S. FACES SERIOUS RISKS OF BROWNOUTS IN 2009

The United States faces significant risk of power brownouts and blackouts as early as next summer that may cost tens of billions of dollars and threaten lives. It will require about 120 GW of new electricity generation just to maintain a 15 percent reserve margin.

Examining the current state of energy generation in the United States today, researchers found that:

• The United States will require more than 14,500 miles of new electricity transmission lines by 2016. [but not allowed to run through anyone's neighborhood]
• While renewable energy proponents are saying that the United States needs to only add renewable power facilities such as wind farms, generators, at their [laughably optimistic] peak, only produce between five and 20 percent of required energy.

Moreover, the researchers identified the primary barriers to getting new power plants and transmission lines built. Chief among these is the opposition of well-funded environmental groups that oppose and file lawsuits against virtually every new infrastructure project proposed:

• Opposition to natural gas production, which is needed to fuel the growing reliance on natural gas fired power plants.
• Regulatory uncertainty associated with climate change policy development and the reluctance by state regulators to approve rate increases related to the imposition of new environmental regulation.

[face it: we've too many layers of obstruction have been built up over the years to make any progress with only pro-energy legislation, we need de-legislate much on the books.]

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