March 31, 2010 - The Committee on Energy & Commerce presented today, showing strong and unyielding support for nuclear power and Smart Grid technology. A short summary of the bill is as follows, the new Energy Bill states that the United States will convert the majority of its power to clean, nuclear energy and implement Smart Grid technology to make energy distribution more efficient. The problem with this plan, though, is that is requests that 170 Billion dollars be invested into the project to redesign the infrastructure of the United States power grid system.
Now, in this current time of economic hardship and our government running a multi-trillion dollar deficit this committee wishes to put ourselves in more debt for "cleaner" energy? What happened to the push for renewable energy or clean-coal energy? Those options are much cheaper than replacing the majority of coal/fossil fuel power plants with all new state-of-the-art nuclear reactors. Don't get me wrong, I am all for nuclear power, it is a "Clean" energy in comparison to coal power, but it is costly and the most important issues in the United States today are not those pertaining to energy, but those pertaining to managing the National Budget/Deficit and focusing on economic recovery. Part of managing the deficit and better managing government funds is by reducing government spending overall, spending a projected (not finalized amount mind you) 170 billion dollars on an energy reform is not at the top of America's list of things we need to do right now.
The Committee on Energy & Commerce presented today, showing strong and unyielding support for nuclear power and Smart Grid technology. A short summary of the bill is as follows, the new Energy Bill states that the United States will convert the majority of its power to clean, nuclear energy and implement Smart Grid technology to make energy distribution more efficient. The problem with this plan, though, is that is requests that 170 Billion dollars be invested into the project to redesign the infrastructure of the United States power grid system.
Now, in this current time of economic hardship and our government running a multi-trillion dollar deficit this committee wishes to put ourselves in more debt for "cleaner" energy? What happened to the push for renewable energy or clean-coal energy? Those options are much cheaper than replacing the majority of coal/fossil fuel power plants with all new state-of-the-art nuclear reactors. Don't get me wrong, I am all for nuclear power, it is a "Clean" energy in comparison to coal power, but it is costly and the most important issues in the United States today are not those pertaining to energy, but those pertaining to managing the National Budget/Deficit and focusing on economic recovery. Part of managing the deficit and better managing government funds is by reducing government spending overall, spending a projected (not finalized amount mind you) 170 billion dollars on an energy reform is not at the top of America's list of things we need to do right now.
I can understand the push for cleaner energy sources and more efficient distribution and use of power but I cannot understand why such a major reform would be necessary as of right now rather than going the cheaper route and retrofitting coal and fossil fuel power plants with technologies to make them "clean". I fully agree the Smart Grid technology could be easily implemented into the United States electrical grid and that the Smart Grid is necessary as a means reducing the price at which every American citizen pays for electricity and increases the efficient use of energy, but what I cannot agree upon is the price at which the American people as well as the U.S. Government will pay for it's funding. Where will that money come from? Donations from electrical Corporations? Possibly, but more than likely we can expect to see increased taxes upon the already staggeringly increased taxes Obama has introduced during his first year in office. The question again becomes one of necessity, why commit to energy reform now? Why not wait until the United States gets its feet back underneath itself economically and then move forward from there rather than bleed the U.S. Government for more money it does not have?
Overall, I think this bill has a long way to go before it can be fully considered passable, creating a more realistic budget, cutting down the time it takes to actually complete the switch over and Smart Grid and assuring that this bill would and is the best decision and solution for efficient and economical energy for every American.
- James Hendrix; Political Analyst; The Bellringer
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