I am writing today to ask that you include the development of the natural gas industry as part of the Virginia Energy Plan currently under review. 

Power providers, manufacturing companies, surface and marine fleet operators and millions of small business and home-owners have turned to natural gas to ensure they can get the energy they need, at a price they can afford.

The US Energy Information Administration  expects global energy demand to increase 47% in the next 30 years, driven by population and economic growth. This will require increased oil and natural gas production, absent technological breakthroughs or significant policy changes. In order to meet this growth and prevent future energy poverty a smart and balanced all of the above plan will be required.

Virginia depends on energy being available at the flip of a switch, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For that to happen, the supply and demand of electricity must always be in balance, meaning the energy going into the power grid must equal the amount being used. That’s why all our nation’s energy systems require constant power generation that can also fluctuate with our needs. Natural gas generation is doing just that: reliably and efficiently providing power at an affordable cost while being flexible and fast-ramping enough to keep the lights on.

To sustain a clean, reliable and affordable power supply, federal, regional and state regulators need to recognize that a market-driven diversity of attributes, not an arbitrary, government-mandated fuel mix, will lead to the lowest cost and most reliable power for consumers. It is a matter of fact that within our borders, our nation has enormous energy resources that Virginia can and should access to attract new jobs to our economy.

It is my hope that the Commonwealth of Virginia will continue its support of development of the natural gas industry as it moves forward in its review and implementation of Virginia’s Energy Plan.

Thank you,

Beth Stockner