GOV. RITTER SAYS COLORADO, NATION MUST OVERCOME ENERGY TRANSMISSION CHALLENGES

Gov. Bill Ritter today addressed more than 600 energy stakeholders at the third annual New Energy Economy Conference, saying Colorado and the nation must overcome significant transmission challenges in order to achieve a cleaner and more secure energy future.


The conference held in Denver, focused on addressing the coming challenges facing the production, distribution and consumption of electric power from state, federal and utility perspectives. The Colorado Public Utilities Commission, the Governor’s Energy Office, the Office of Consumer Counsel and Energy Outreach Colorado sponsored the conference.

“This annual conference brings together the best and brightest of the clean energy industry to address the critical issues facing the New Energy Economy, including how to continue to build on its successes,” Gov. Ritter said. “We’ve created a national model that is guiding the transformation of how our children and grandchildren will produce and consume energy. The challenge before us now is to continue this innovation and to usher in a new century of American energy leadership.”

The governor spoke of the importance of the state’s Climate Action Plan, Renewable Portfolio Standard and other legislative and policy initiatives that are creating jobs and driving new market development in Colorado. The Governor cited this year’s passage of Senate Bill 51, which in just 10 months has sparked a market for solar energy leasing in the state.

Moving forward, Gov. Ritter called for more regional and state-to-state cooperation and to consider new approaches for how transmission is paid for and built. He highlighted an upcoming report on the issue from the Governor’s Energy Office.

“My Energy Office will soon be releasing the Renewable Energy Development Infrastructure, or REDI report,” Gov. Ritter said. “This report addresses the need for transmission, discusses the challenges and offers suggestions on how to move the effort forward and how to resolve the barriers to our current transmission dilemma.”