For Immediate Release: July 17, 2020

Contact: Mark Brueggenjohann  202-728-6014

IBEW President Lonnie Stephenson on FERC’s Updating
of PURPA Rules And Regulations

IBEW International President Lonnie R. Stephenson issued the following statement regarding FERC’s updating of PURPA rules and regulations:

“I commend the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Chairman Chatterjee for moving to reform long outdated provisions of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 that drove up costs and ended up disincentivizing the development of renewable power.

“The world is a very different place than it was when PURPA was first passed. Non-hydro renewables, which were barely in use in 1978, today make up the fastest-growing portion of our energy mix. We need 21st-century regulations for a 21st-century energy economy. And we need regulations that will create middle-class energy jobs.

“This decision will give the renewable energy industry a further boost while slashing costs to customers. And that is vital to promoting the growth of good energy jobs throughout the nation.”

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The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) represents approximately 775,000 members and retirees who work in a wide variety of fields, including construction, utilities, manufacturing, telecommunications, broadcasting, railroads and government.