Clean Power Plan still on utilities agenda

Electric utilities have not stopped working through scenarios for complying with U.S. EPA's Clean Power Plan should it survive legal challenges, in the view of Michael Tubman, director of outreach at the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions.

"They want to make sure that whatever their plans are make sense over the long term," he said.

Tubman will be part of a panel on the EPA carbon rule tomorrow in Washington, D.C., at the U.S. Energy Information Administration's annual conference.

In an interview, Tubman provided a preview of what he intends to say, in particular trying to explain "what the responsibilities of states are when it comes to the Clean Power Plan and the underlying Clean Air Act."

"For many states, it's the first time that air directors and environmental commissioners have worked closely with public utility commissioners or energy office officials. And that's really positive, not just for the CPP but state planning overall," Tubman said. "The relationships that have developed over the last 18 months or so have really been positive.

Read the E&E story - “Most states, utilities see carbon regulation as inevitable -- C2ES.”