Electricity needs are more important

by John Malmberg

The old adage “Don’t put the cart before the horse” may certainly be applied to the push to get electric vehicles on our nation’s roads.

Don’t get us wrong. We are not against electric vehicles. We just hope Wyoming keeps ahead of the curve so that electrical generation and distribution infrastructure can keep pace with the increased demand for electricity.

Wyoming could take a lesson from California on how not to handle this situation.

Just weeks ago, the California Air Resources Board set a policy requiring all new cars sold in that state to be free of greenhouse gas emissions by 2035.

The following week California Gov. Gavin Newsom urged residents of that state not to charge their electric vehicles because of an anticipated power shortage.

Also last month the Federal Highway Administration approved Wyoming’s National Electric Vehicles Infrastructure plan for the installation of charging stations in seven Wyoming towns.

Ironically that same week, Cody Public Works Director Phillip Bowman and Bert Pond of the Wyoming Municipal Power Agency warned Cody city officials that Cody and the western states may experience blackouts in the future caused by the delicate balancing act between energy demand and energy generation and distribution.

Currently 60% of electrical generation in the United States is fueled by coal and natural gas, with another 19% fueled by nuclear power.

That puts Wyoming in an excellent position as far as resources go and it is an almost certainty Wyoming’s natural resources will continue to play a key role in electrical generation for the nation.

But will the infrastructure be in place or in the planning stages to be able to handle the anticipated increase in demand for electrical generation?

That’s the issue Wyoming and the rest of the nation need to consider. Where will we get the electricity that electric vehicles require?

Electric vehicle purchasers need to know they will actually be able to use their vehicles after they purchase them.

And with the increased demand, we all need to be reassured there will be enough electricity to keep the lights on and our homes warm.

-Cody Enterprise