Nearly 200 Supporters Join Dina Titus To Take Aim At High Utility Rates And The

Nearly 200 Supporters Join Dina Titus To Take Aim At High Utility Rates And The

July 11, 2006

LAS VEGAS - Nearly 200 supporters of Democratic gubernatorial front-runner Senator Dina Titus demonstrated in front of Nevada Power headquarters, slowing traffic as onlookers honked in support of lowering power bills that have escalated by 55 percent over the last six years.

Addressing the rally on West Sahara Avenue, Dina Titus contrasted her commitment to reducing utility rates with opponent Jim Gibson's work for Nevada Power in opposing a public power initiative that netted Gibson $527,000.

Titus today pledged a no-nonsense drive to lower Southern Nevada utility rates, proposing a four-point initiative that includes a possible public takeover of Nevada Power Company. Studies show that public utilities consistently provide lower-cost power than privately held utility companies.

"Jim Gibson got the money," Dina Titus said. "All the rest of us got higher utility bills."

Titus supporters held signs reading, "Honk if you're shocked by your electric bill," and "The heat is rising and so is you power bill." Cars passing by kept up a steady stream of honking in support of the protest.

Gibson was hired by Nevada Power in 2002 to help it oppose Question 14, an advisory ballot measure asking Clark County voters whether they favored public ownership of Nevada Power Company. The utility spent nearly $3 million opposing the measure, but Clark County voters still approved Question 14 by a margin of 57 percent to 43 percent.

"Jim Gibson is not going to bite the hand of the utility that helped him earn the dubious title of ‘The Half-Million Dollar Man," Dina Titus told the rally. "For 19 years, I've been fighting for the consumer in the Nevada Legislature. Jim Gibson cashed in to oppose something the people of Clark County wanted. Who are you going to trust when it's time to say ‘no more' to Nevada Power?"

Dina Titus outlined four specific actions she would take as governor to stabilize and reduce electric utility rates in Southern Nevada:

? Revive consideration of public ownership of Nevada Power, which was estimated in 2002 to have the potential for saving consumers up to 20 percent on their monthly utility bills, primarily through the better credit rating of a public agency and eliminating the for-profit structure of the company.

? Appoint a Nevada Public Utilities Commission (PUC) whose first mission would be to protect consumers, not utility profits and shareholders, scrutinizing closely proposals such as the up to $150 million per year in extra profits on new power plants and transmission lines Nevada Power has requested in its recently filed Integrated Resources Plan.

? Instruct the reconstructed PUC to enforce the state's Renewable Portfolio Standard requiring utilities to produce power from renewable energy sources, so economies of scale can be achieved that bring down the cost of producing power from the free energy of the sun, wind and geothermal heat.

? Eliminate through better regulatory oversight the millions of dollars in utility expenditures for self-promotional advertising and lobbying such as the $1.5 million paid to three media firms to fight Question 14; and rein in other expenditures such as severance pay for fired utility executives that can run as high as three times their annual base salaries.

"The utilities like to say this money comes from shareholders, not ratepayers, but all utility revenue starts at your electric meter. It's time for prudence and accountability in how your money is spent," Dina Titus said.

"Seniors and others on fixed incomes should not have to choose between buying groceries and turning off their air conditioning when it's 105 degrees," she said.

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