Jun 12, 2008 9:05 pm US/Eastern
Rendell Pushes Energy Plan In Greensburg
GREENSBURG (KDKA) ―
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Gov. Ed Rendell (file)
CBS
Rate caps that have been regulating the cost of electricity in Pennsylvania are going to start coming off in 2010 and experts say your electric rates could skyrocket by as much as 75 percent.
Gov. Ed Rendell visited a senior center in Greensburg to push the notion that his energy independence strategy that he proposed 18 months ago should not be deadlocked in the state Senate.
Using the rising costs of gasoline, electricity and everything else these days, Rendell warned that utility costs will go through the roof.
"If you use 1,000 kilowatts of electricity a month, your bill now is $78 and change," he said. "That bill unchecked would go to $128. That's an additional $50 a month that's an additional $600 a year."
Rendell called on the state Senate to pass legislation that was already approved in the House that would help consumers reduce their electric bills, saying the rate increase was like a tax.
"This is the equivalent of a $4 billion tax increase," he said.
Rendell wants the Senate to approve bills guaranteeing electricity at the lowest reasonable rate. He blames the utility companies for blocking his bills.
"They have put out a prospectus out to their shareholders, saying that when rates come off, their profits will almost triple," he said. "They're tripling on your back."
Rendell also blamed the Republican State Senate saying these legislators are blocking passage of his legislation. He says they're not being malevolent - they simply have a different point of view.
But the bottom line is it's going to cost taxpayers, rate-payers a lot of money in the years to come. Rendell says his plan will save $10 billion if it becomes law.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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