EPA Clean Power Plan spells trouble for Iowa

American households and businesses currently reaping the benefits of low oil prices may soon lose them to higher electricity bills. For this, we can thank an Environmental Protection Agency.

A growing number of energy experts, including overseers of the nation's electricity grid, regional power transmission authorities, power plant operators and energy economists are all warning that the EPA Clean Power Plan will lead to higher energy bills for consumers and a less reliable electricity grid for the country.

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation - an international regulatory body charged with assessing the adequacy of our electric power system - says implementing EPA's plan will be difficult, if not impossible, without weakening the reliability of the electricity supply. That's because states are asked to reduce their use of affordable electricity and transform their electricity grid based on four assumptions about future energy demand, shifts in sources of electricity generation, adding more variable power sources and reduced energy use.

Meanwhile, regional power authorities across the country are sounding alarms too.

Then there are the costs. When independent economic consultants recently examined EPA's plan, they found Iowa's wholesale electricity costs would spike as high as 19.9 percent. As coal use declines, demand for natural gas to fill the gap will raise Iowa's gas costs by $2 billion in 10 years. Despite fears of what lies ahead, the EPA stays the course, risking a titanic crisis.

The nation's governors don't have that luxury.

Roman emperors made their architects sleep under the bridges they built, just to be sure. Today, the nation's governors are being asked to sleep under the bridges EPA builds.

That should keep governors awake at night.

' Hal Quinn is President & CEO of the National Mining Association, the nationwide trade group representing the U.S. mining industry based in Washington D.C. Comments: 101 Constitution Ave N.W., Suite 500 East, Washington, D.C. 20001.