Lawmakers split on power price caps

From CNN's Brad Wright

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Members of Congress from the Pacific Northwest emerged from a meeting with Vice President Dick Cheney on Tuesday badly split over how to address short term energy shortfalls and the dramatic spikes in electric bills.

Some, such as Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Washington, believe short term price caps should be imposed to keep electric power affordable.

"The charges that are now going on, that are five to 10 times higher than those historically leveled in the Pacific Northwest are obscene, outrageous, and have every capability of pushing this entire country into recession," Inslee said. What is going on in the Western Coast right now is an economic hoof and mouth disease. It is an emergency of national dimensions."

Inslee suggested it was irresponsible for Cheney to dismiss price caps in the short term.

Republicans, led by Rep. Jennifer Dunn, R-Washington, said price caps are not the answer because they act as a disincentive for further power plant construction. But, all seemed to be in agreement that California, which experienced rolling blackouts again Tuesday, should pay more for their power.

"We agree that California rate payers ought to be paying their price," Dunn said. "It is not fair to us in the Northwest when somebody wanted to turn on a hot tub in California, does it without any fear of paying increased cost for the natural gas through the electricity that runs that hot tub. So we are looking for short term fixes. Some we agree on; some we disagree on."

Rep. George Nethercutt, R-Washington, agreed saying of Californians, "I don't think they've felt the pain yet."

Nethercutt said the vice president did talk in general terms about conservation measures but offered no specifics.

Inslee said that if the administration wants to get serious about solutions to the power crisis, "All we have to do is raise our C.A.F.E. standards (federal standards for gasoline mileage) by a couple of miles per gallon."

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