Consumers

Regarding “FERC chairman says Perry’s grid proposal to be decided by Dec. 11” (Chron. com Thursday), U.S. Rep. Pete Olson, R-Sugar Land, recently showed leadership in Washington, D.C., by standing up for consumers and energy freedom. When he saw a government intrusion into energy markets, Olson spearheaded a bipartisan letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in support of competition among all energy technologies. Olson recognizes that market competition benefits consumers and our electric grid, rather than having politicians pick winners and los- ers. Olson’s letter was specifically in response to a federal proposal that would bail out uneconomic power plants. Current estimates predict this proposed regulation could cost Americans as much as $11 billion a year over the next decade, and FERC will issue a final decision by Dec. 11.

In Texas, consumers have benefitted from a competitive market, all while driving massive investments in advanced energy technologies, such as wind, solar, and demand response.

Using his leadership role on the energy committee in D.C., Olson stood up to powerful special interests in support of market competition, innovative technologies and consumer savings. Suzanne Bertin, executive director, Texas Advanced Energ y Business Alliance, and Dylan Reed, head of congressional affairs for Advanced Energ y Economy