Although she didn’t call him by name, it was abundantly clear during Tuesday’s regularly scheduled Alabama Public Service Commission meeting that PSC President Twinkle Cavanaugh had a message she wanted to get across to fellow commissioner Terry Dunn.
Dunn recently wrote an op-ed claiming the much maligned “War on Coal” is just a smokescreen behind which other members of the PSC could hide their bias toward coal. Cavanaugh began Tuesday’s PSC meeting by addressing the accusations head on.
“There has been a commissioner here at the commission who has accused his colleagues of picking a fuel source when it is not in the best interest of consumers,” Cavanaugh said. “Let me be very clear, the best interests of the consumer is always at the forefront when decisions are made at this podium, but also when they’re made on a daily basis. But what I will not do is join President Obama’s war that he has declared on coal in the state of Alabama and across our nation.”
Cavanaugh compared the Obama Administration’s increasing regulations on the fossil fuels industry to their takeover of the healthcare sector through ObamaCare.
“We don’t want that here…” she said. “As president of this commission, I will not stand idly by and allow Obama’s war on coal to drive up energy prices here in the state of Alabama. Alabama families and businesses cannot afford more in their monthly bills. But let me also be clear, while I will continue to stand up for the coal industry, which is one of our most abundant resources here in Alabama, I… will always look at the cheapest route when it comes to producing electricity in the state of Alabama — whether it’s hydro… nuclear… natural gas… coal… wind and solar, or any other alternative.”
Cavanaugh then took a direct shot at green energy companies, many of which she are being propped up by government loans and grants.
“At this point I think it should be known that the only way any of these alternative forms of energy are viable is through your tax dollars being used as subsidies,” she said. “That means there are people in the federal government choosing winners and losers. I don’t believe we ought to do that.”
Cavanaugh offered Dunn an opportunity to respond to her comments, but he declined. A video of the exchange can be seen on the PSC’s website.
Follow Cliff on Twitter @Cliff_Sims
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