Study Reveals New Cap-and-Trade Winners and Losers

Tue Jul 14, 2009 6:15am EDT

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State Utility Regulators, Consumer Advocates, Municipal Utility and Electric
Coop Leaders Warn of Unnecessary Consumer Costs
WASHINGTON--(Business Wire)--
According to a new study, the impact of new cap-and-trade policies on electric
rates across the country will vary greatly depending on how carbon allowances
are allocated, creating unnecessary windfall profits for some without any
additional reduction in carbon emissions. 

The study, conducted by Synapse Energy Economics of Cambridge, MA, will be
released Wednesday, July 15, at the National Press Club. It is sponsored by the
National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), the American
Public Power Association (APPA), the National Rural Electric Cooperative
Association (NRECA) and the National Association of State Utility Consumer
Advocates (NASUCA). 

All four groups support climate change legislation that results in productive
costs that will prompt investments to reduce emissions and spur economic growth.
Some of the allocations in the House-passed (H.R. 2454) legislation, however,
are unproductive - driving prices up higher than necessary while providing no
additional benefit to the environment.

                                                                                               
 WHEN:     Wednesday, July 15, 2009                                                            
           10:00 a.m. ET                                                                       
                                                                                               
 WHERE:    National Press Club, Zenger Room                                                    
           Media unable to attend are urged to participate via teleconference at 800-926-7713  
                                                                                               


SPEAKERS:

* Frederick Butler, President of the National Association of Regulatory Utility
Commissioners 
* Ezra Hausman, Ph.D., Vice President, Synapse Energy Economics 
* Glenn English, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association 
* Mark Crisson, President and CEO of the American Public Power Association 
* Sonny Popowsky, Consumer Advocate for the State of Pennsylvania, representing
the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates

APPA
Nick Braden, 202-467-2952
nbraden@appanet.org
or
NARUC
Rob Thormeyer, 202-898-9382
rthormeyer@naruc.org
or
MS&L
Burke Jensen, 202-261-2892
burke.jensen@mslworldwide.com

Copyright Business Wire 2009