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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Craig’s Summit On Power To Open Hearing On Deregulation Stacked, Opponents Claim

Associated Press

Idaho Sen. Larry Craig convenes The Power Summit today. The daylong gathering of experts is extensively underwritten by substantial contributors to Craig’s 1996 re-election that have a vested interest in electricity deregulation.

Critics, even some who are participating, contend the event is stacked up to be nothing more than a rally for deregulation.

And many in Idaho - starting with Gov. Phil Batt and the head of his electric restructuring task force, ex-Sen. James McClure - question what a state with the nation’s lowest power rates would gain by deregulation.

“On that, they’re flat wrong,” says Craig, who is joined by 10 other Northwest members of Congress - Democrats and Republicans alike - for what he maintains is a chance for Idahoans to become part of the debate.

“I have not made up my mind on deregulation,” the senator said. “From the very beginning I have said to my staff and the institute, ‘This has to be balanced. I want Idahoans to hear all sides of this story because they haven’t made their minds up either.”’

The participants lined up by The Public Forum Institute in Washington, D.C., the nonpartisan group that organized the summit, include skeptics of deregulation. But traditional Craig antagonists maintain those skeptics are far outnumbered by advocates, although that has not deterred some from being involved.

As a member of the Senate Energy Committee, Craig has a vote on whether the federal government would dictate otherwise should Idaho eventually choose not to allow deregulation.

“Whatever show’s in town we’re going to be there,” said Wendy Wilson of Idaho Rivers United, which is participating.

“But it is really frightening to have this much boosterism going on for deregulation when Idaho has so much to lose,” Wilson said, citing universal service, cheap rates and possibly water rights.

Even some of Craig’s political allies privately fear the summit will become simply another promotion for deregulation, just as have past meetings elsewhere in the region, despite their continued questioning of deregulation’s inevitability.

“They’re criticizing the only activity that’s going on, and they’ve been included,” Craig countered. “They should not consider this an end-all. This is a beginning. I would hope they would come and be participants.”

To assure balance, Craig said he personally resisted any big summit role for the Bonneville Power Administration, which could benefit tremendously if its low-cost power were suddenly available on the open market.

But it has not been enough to convince some local organizations, which refused an institute request to simply lend their name in support of the summit.

“You look at who gave political contributions to these folks in the campaign - they get a lot of contributions from big industrial users and not much from Joe Citizen, and they tend to be the folks who benefit the most from deregulation,” said Kevin Borden of the Idaho Citizens Network. “Deregulation will have a tendency to raise rates for consumers in Idaho.”

Seven electric utilities and the industry’s Edison Electric Institute, along with 10 major Idaho corporations, donated $45,000 to the summit, summit officials said.