EEI's Kuhn Says Climate Bill Needed for Investment Certainty

EEI President Tom Kuhn, on National Public Radio, said that the climate bill squabble on Capitol Hill was a distraction to the goal: "We all know that there is an objective to move to lower carbon fuels in the future, and it is extremely important to us when we are making billions of dollars worth of investments to have the certainty."

On Capitol Hill, a maneuver by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., to bring forward an immigration bill, brought a rebuff from Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the key Republican partner in the triumvirate bringing the climate legislation forward. The other senators, John Kerry, D-Mass., and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., stalled their expected announcement of a final version of the climate bill on Monday, looking for a compromise with Graham. Politico reported that Graham said the effort by Reid "dooms everything" because it was "breaking faith."

On American Public Media's Market Watch, EEI spokesman Jim Owen noted that utility CEOs "see a lot of challenges going forward in terms of what kinds of power plants to build and where to build them," and the continued uncertainty over the climate bill was creating problems for planning investments in new generation. Exelon spokeswoman Judy Rader was quoted as saying: "We are disappointed by this temporary setback. We remain hopeful that the issues will be resolved quickly, and that the U.S. Senate will make passage of an energy and climate bill an urgent priority."

Graham noted that the immigration bill "has no chance" to pass and the issue had come "out of left field" just before the planned unveiling of the climate bill. Graham disavowed speculation by White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs that he withdrew because of pressure from other Republicans. Graham added: "I've made it perfectly clear that if you bring up immigration you're breaking faith with me. The faith was broken when immigration was interjected in the 11th hour."

Reid spokesman Jim Manley saw "no reason why we can't do climate change first" and then work on the immigration bill, and said it was "difficult to understand why we have gotten this reaction to Reid demonstrating his commitment to the issue." Lieberman said "we're working really hard to get" the climate partnership with Graham "back together," and he asked for Obama administration support in that effort.

- Related stories also appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, Politico, and National Journal.