Energy Bill Wouldn't Have Averted Blackout-Experts

[Kolesar]

Reuters story through WCPN
Energy Bill Wouldn't Have Averted Blackout-Experts

2003-11-25

By Chris Baltimore

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A stalled energy bill, touted by Republicans as essential to avoiding a repeat of the crippling Aug. 14 blackout, lacks rules that would have helped avert the catastrophe, utility experts said on Tuesday.
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TOOTHLESS?

In 2002, the group found 541 violations of its rules which would have generated about $9 million in fines. But the group has no authority to enforce the rules. The bill as written would give such power, but does not specify penalty amounts.

Ironically, such rules would not have likely prevented the August blackout, said Branko Terzic, a consultant with Deloitte and Touche LLP and a former member of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

The new rules "wouldn't have changed that fact that people didn't communicate," Terzic said. "The trees would have grown onto the lines anyway."
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[kimchi]

1. The new rules aren't DESIGNED to prevent blackouts

which is why people are frothing mad. Environmental protections of all sorts are being gutted; because the corps write their own rules when they contribute to the right people.

At least they admitted it was human error--except that somehow the trees get blamed for growing onto the lines.

:crazy:

Millions of dollars lost, lives disrupted and deaths occured because a power company was too cheap/stupid/lax/whatever to trim a few trees. Yeah, there's a flaw in that system somewhere I'd say; and infrastructure certainly plays a large part. But it is ridiculous to throw up token legislation accompanied by a sweet bailout of corporate responsibility.

It's all about the free market--until someone loses a few million; and endangers lives because of their own shortsitedness heh? At least they can't blame this one on 9/11; although I wouldn't put it past this administration to try.

Sorry for the rant; I needed to get get it out of my system.
Thanks. Much better now!