Keep natural gas for its reliability

Published 1:30 am Friday, December 20, 2024

Regarding the story, “Broad coalition challenges I-2066 as unconstitutional,” saying that this initiative jeopardizes local governments and other entities to promote clean energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions:

This contradicts the Department of Energy’s Aug. 28, 2023 announcement that natural gas is 3.3 times more affordable than electricity, and is critical to American energy security. “Natural gas is not only a low-cost option but also the lowest emissions resource today. Natural gas is responsible for 61 percent of cumulative CO2 emissions reductions from the U.S. power sector since 2005.”

In light of the recent bomb cyclone event that left thousands without power for up to a week, and Saturday’s wind storm that left thousands more without power, it is obvious that the electric grid is not reliable and needs an alternative in times of emergency to preserve life-saving reliability.

The increasing load on the electric grid with the push for electric cars and all electric homes and businesses will only make it worse, and in times of outages those with electric cars and homes are left without power, cold and stranded. Common sense tells us that the high cost of businesses being converted to electricity will be passed on to the consumer. Imagine all the restaurants that now use natural gas to cook being dependent on electricity, when the next power outage hits.

William Thomas

Snohomish