Peoples Gas and West Penn (First Energy) are believed by the writer of the letter “Who’s profiting from our high utility bills?” (April 16, TribLIVE) to be resonsible for “price hikes and profiteering” identified in his letter. He asks why prices have “risen so dramatically in past two years, and what is the purpose of Public Utility Commission?”
I’ve lived in Blawnox/Cheswick for 25 years, worked in steel and natural gas for 50 years and know the public underestimates U.S. government impact when it stops/delays natural gas drilling and changes supply sources. This letter is important, not to solve but to understand our problems.
Natural gas isn’t recognized as critical to homes/businesses, but we should know we created problems blocking, drilling and closing Cheswick Power. China starts power stations each week with less pollution control than Cheswick that we accept until 2030. Cheswick’s operating cost was low; promised solar jobs won’t exist in our lifetimes and my Cheswick home now has frequent power glitches.
Lost Cheswick station/support jobs put Allegheny on a list of the 10 largest U.S. county population reductions. Utility suppliers aren’t profiteering, didn’t want to quit drilling, and didn’t eliminate Cheswick Station. Southwestern Pennsylvania needs to create jobs, not send them and new graduates elsewhere!
Alfred A. Kuehn
Cheswick