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Power Blackout: Politics of Power
Aired August 18, 2003 - 13:18 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: While investigators try to figure out why the lights went out, politicians are already using the blackout as ammunition in an explosive political debate over energy.
Our White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, has more now on the politics of power.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The debate over how to prevent another major blackout is now center stage.
REP. ED MARKEY (D-MA), ENERGY AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE: Whatever it costs is the price that is going to have to be paid.
MALVEAUX: When lawmakers return from recess, they'll face off over President Bush's comprehensive energy bill. One controversial element -- to drill oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge -- is threatening to doom the bill altogether.
Democrats say if the administration would take it out, it could clear the way for other issues to move forward, like updating the power grid system.
MARKEY: This issue has been held hostage to the Republican agenda of trying to drill in the most pristine wilderness, in environmentally-sensitive areas of the country. We could have broken this issue off three years ago, five years ago, but they refuse to allow it to move as a separate piece of legislation.
MALVEAUX: The energy secretary says that won't change.
SPENCER ABRAHAM, ENERGY SECRETARY: I think that would be a huge mistake, because we have a lot of problems in the energy sectors, and I don't think legislation will pass if you pull it out one piece at a time. Moreover it will leave us vulnerable to other challenges and crises.
MALVEAUX: Another debate is over who should be held responsible for operating and upgrading the nation's power grid system. Right now, the states and private companies do, but a federal commission is proposing to set up larger regions in the country to control delivering power across state lines, and to oversee upgrading the electric grid system.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The provisions of our bill which say that the states have to cooperate or else the feds will step in to set up right-of-ways and to set up incentives to build these lines.
MALVEAUX: Some members of Congress have threatened to block the entire legislation if the measure is included, so the administration is putting it on hold.
ABRAHAM: We don't feel that forcing that down the throats of individual communities and regions is as important as the other priorities.
MALVEAUX (on camera): The energy secretary says customers and utility companies will have to share in the cost for upgrading the transmission system -- news that is not likely to go over well with the public.
Suzanne Malveaux, CNN in Crawford, Texas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
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Aired August 18, 2003 - 13:18 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: While investigators try to figure out why the lights went out, politicians are already using the blackout as ammunition in an explosive political debate over energy.
Our White House correspondent, Suzanne Malveaux, has more now on the politics of power.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The debate over how to prevent another major blackout is now center stage.
REP. ED MARKEY (D-MA), ENERGY AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE: Whatever it costs is the price that is going to have to be paid.
MALVEAUX: When lawmakers return from recess, they'll face off over President Bush's comprehensive energy bill. One controversial element -- to drill oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge -- is threatening to doom the bill altogether.
Democrats say if the administration would take it out, it could clear the way for other issues to move forward, like updating the power grid system.
MARKEY: This issue has been held hostage to the Republican agenda of trying to drill in the most pristine wilderness, in environmentally-sensitive areas of the country. We could have broken this issue off three years ago, five years ago, but they refuse to allow it to move as a separate piece of legislation.
MALVEAUX: The energy secretary says that won't change.
SPENCER ABRAHAM, ENERGY SECRETARY: I think that would be a huge mistake, because we have a lot of problems in the energy sectors, and I don't think legislation will pass if you pull it out one piece at a time. Moreover it will leave us vulnerable to other challenges and crises.
MALVEAUX: Another debate is over who should be held responsible for operating and upgrading the nation's power grid system. Right now, the states and private companies do, but a federal commission is proposing to set up larger regions in the country to control delivering power across state lines, and to oversee upgrading the electric grid system.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The provisions of our bill which say that the states have to cooperate or else the feds will step in to set up right-of-ways and to set up incentives to build these lines.
MALVEAUX: Some members of Congress have threatened to block the entire legislation if the measure is included, so the administration is putting it on hold.
ABRAHAM: We don't feel that forcing that down the throats of individual communities and regions is as important as the other priorities.
MALVEAUX (on camera): The energy secretary says customers and utility companies will have to share in the cost for upgrading the transmission system -- news that is not likely to go over well with the public.
Suzanne Malveaux, CNN in Crawford, Texas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
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