As 2016 comes to a close, we can look back on a year dominated by competing political ideas, which led to a close and contentious election. Of course, the big news is that our country will soon have a new, and very different, leader. While the Trump administration will certainly have an effect on the state of the electric utility industry, it’s difficult to project the extent of the impact. Time will tell, but Spencer Waugh, Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives’ manager of government affairs, offers insight on some of President-elect Trump’s stated energy policies.
Regardless of the course that our government takes, your electric cooperative will continue to represent the interest of our member-owners and advocate for common-sense solutions to the issues we face, just as we always have. The delivery of clean, safe, affordable, and reliable service to our members will continue to be the hallmark of Ohio’s electric cooperative network.
Cooperatives will advocate for simpler, more flexible, and more sensible regulations that effect the electric industry in particular, and the energy industry in general. We’re encouraged that many of the more complex, more costly, and least compelling environmental regulations that have been advanced in the past several years may be reviewed and possibly revised. We’re also hopeful that some of the needed energy infrastructure construction projects that have been impeded in recent years will have a clearer path for analysis, and ultimately, approval. We’ve experienced major changes in the production of power throughout the past decade, and that has made the generation of electricity cleaner than ever, but we also need to address the reliability and affordability of the vital services that we provide.
Personally, I wish each of you, your loved ones, and your family a safe, blessed, and merry Christmas. While 2016 saw many disagreements surface across the nation, let’s hope that the holiday season brings peace, forgiveness, and understanding to all.
