Letter: Power problems loom

Last year, the Sebelius administration refused to grant a permit to Sunflower Electric Power Corp. even though the professional staff at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment recommended approval of the application.

Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson recently claimed we won't need more power for 10 years. In fact, recent operating results show we will need new generating capacity in 2010 if our loads continue to grow.<!-- CMS - tools are print, reply, email small icons --> <!-- print -->

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Our load is growing at rates not experienced in decades. Irrigators are switching from natural gas to electric power; oil and gas wells are being completed each month. Also, our gas plants, on average, are 38 years old. Many of them must soon be replaced because they are approaching the end of their useful life.

Parkinson criticizes Sunflower for being unwilling to "negotiate" with the governor for a smaller project. The truth is, we did. Unfortunately, her solution would have cost our ratepayers more than $500 million. We offered to reduce the size of the project, accelerate the rate of our inclusion of wind in our portfolio and reduce the production of carbon dioxide from the project.

We also offered to include the leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives in the negotiations, but she rejected our offer and wouldn't modify her offer to us. It's disingenuous to suggest that Sunflower was unwilling to work with the Legislature and the governor. We did our part.

Parkinson says we should move past our failed proposal and embrace a new marketplace that includes the Kansas wind but excludes coal. I say that it's time for the administration to join with legislators from all 105 counties who voted to support the energy legislation in 2008.

We've all suffered from the high price of gasoline, and we are in the middle of a financial debacle on Wall Street. This isn't the time to unnecessarily increase the price of electricity to Kansans who are already struggling. This is the time for sound energy policies.

EARL WATKINS, president and chief executive officer, Sunflower Electric Power Corp., Hays