WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) last week warned attendees at the annual winter meeting of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) that the reliability of the nation’s electric grid could suffer unless federal policymakers pay greater attention to the impacts of a range of new factors and forces, including changes in the nation’s electricity mix and regulations being issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Her remarks coincided with the release of a white paper, entitled Powering the Future: Ensuring that Federal Policy Supports Electric Reliability.

Following Murkowski’s remarks at NARUC’s winter meeting and the release of her white paper, several utilities industry organizations publicly commended Murkowski for providing a wakeup call to the challenges facing the nation’s grid. Highlights and links to those statements are below:

Large Public Power Council (LPPC): “Considering the real implications on reliability of the electric system should be an essential component of pursuing new policies, initiatives or mandates relating to the environment, public health, energy and market regulation. …. We applaud the Senator for her leadership toward ensuring electric reliability with a focus on an orderly and smart transition to a more diversified fuel portfolio.”

Full statement available on the LPPC website.

National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA): “Senator Murkowski’s paper is spot-on in its call for a more reliable and affordable electricity grid. Her assessment of the factors influencing the electric grid brings to light the importance of honest dialogue, and co-ops look forward to being part of that conversation.”

Full statement available on the NRECA website.

American Public Power Association (APPA): “We commend the senator for inspiring what we hope to be an ongoing public policy dialogue about our nation’s energy future.”

Full statement available on the APPA website.

Edison Electric Institute (EEI): “EEI applauds Senator Murkowski for recognizing the importance of a balanced and diverse fuel mix and the value of the grid to all customers. As energy markets and the regulatory environment change, and with them, our industry’s generation fleet, preserving fuel diversity and flexibility remains critical to the industry.”

Full statement available on the EEI website.

Murkowski is the top Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The full text of her remarks at the NARUC winter meeting is available on the energy panel’s website.