Recently elected Rep. Celeste Maloy introduced her first bill in January, which intends to benefit the electricity of the Western United States.
Maloy partnered with Arizona Democrat and independent Sens. Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema to introduce the bill as the Hydropower Delivery Rate-reduction Offset Act, also known as the HYDRO Act and numbered as HB 6974 and SB 3581. Its goal is to reduce power rates in the West and help keep the variety of power sources in use.
“I am very excited to lead the HYDRO Act in the House,” Maloy said in a press release. “It will be a great benefit to all hydropower customers in the West who have been experiencing low electricity generation due to the severe and ongoing drought.”
Because of the low rainfall and droughts that have occurred in the West over the last 20 years, the Hoover Dam and Glen Canyon Dam cannot produce enough electric power.
Maloy said, “I know this bipartisan legislation will be a great help in easing the burden for Utah and the other Colorado River Basin states whose electricity is generated by these facilities throughout the region.”
Both Lake Powell and Lake Mead have lowered in recent years, and the Colorado River has dropped an estimated 20%.
“As record drought conditions impact our state’s ability to produce electricity through hydropower, we’re working to ensure hardworking Arizonans don’t have to foot the bill for higher energy costs,” said Sinema.
The bill would also benefit Utah residents who have part of their electricity generated at the Flaming Gorge and Glen Canyon dams.
Author: Natalie Anderson
Photo courtesy of Stephanie Scarbrough/The Associated Press
Editor: Anna Mower
news@suunews.net
