Marc Spitzer, (photo) former Arizona state senator and corporation commissioner 
is finishing up his third year on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and the Republican tells Arizona Guardian (subscription) he is convinced renewable energy sources, alternative energy technology and power-sharing through regional grids need to be a big part of the country’s energy future. He added climate change is a serious problem.
He was in the Valley early this month to speak on energy and climate changes. When in Washington, D.C., he drives around in a 12-year-old Jeep “because it’s paid for,” but he said he is infatuated with the electric car, he told the Guardian.
“The interesting thing about energy politics, as opposed to energy law, is it’s not red or blue, he said in the interview.” Arizona is . . . one-third natural gas, one-third coal, one-third nuclear. We’ve pushed renewables up in Arizona because we think it’s the right thing to do,” he told the popular political blog.
Spitzer helped implement the ACC’s requirement that 15 percent of a utility’s power come from renewables, and he told the Guardian the Goldwarer suit against the requirement irks him. He said FERC does not dictate to the states. “At FERC, we make sure whatever the resource is it can get to market,” he said. “FERC wants to make sure that the solar and wind people can get on the grid . . . .
Saying wind and solar are “intermittent” power sources, ” nuclear power is zero-emission, base load generation, “ my personal view is that any solution to climate change has to consider nuclear power.”
Spitzer said he doesn’t have any plans beyond his FERC post.
“You’ve got plenty of good politicians in Arizona.”
This condensed version is published with the Guardian’s permission
