15 Mar Ukraine and the Safe, Reliable, and Affordable Delivery of Power to Americans
Arlington, Va.—March 14, 2022—The following statement may be attributed to UTC President & CEO Sheryl Osiene-Riggs.
“On March 8, President Joe Biden announced a ban on oil, natural gas, and coal imports from Russia in response to the country’s invasion of Ukraine, a sovereign democratic nation. Before we turn to the implication for the U.S., let’s look at the war’s effects on Ukrainians.
“Over 2.5 million people, more than 5% of Ukraine’s population, have fled their homes on a moment’s notice to seek safety in neighboring countries. Thousands of Ukrainians have been killed or injured by Russia’s reckless bombardment of civilian centers and hospitals. We have all seen the pictures of the Russian tanks and infantry setting fire to the world’s largest nuclear plant in Zaporizhzhia and the news about Russian occupiers cutting all electricity to the cooling pools for the spent radioactive fuel rods at the Chernobyl nuclear plant.
“There are at least 650,000 people without electricity and almost 150,000 people without natural gas supply in the east, north, and south amid ongoing hostilities. At the same time, temperatures are dropping below freezing and crowded conditions in bomb shelters and private dwellings have the real likelihood to create a health crisis.
“Compare that to the quite literal “First World Problems” in the U.S. We are suffering from high gas prices due to the sanctions against Russia, which also increases inflation. There are no lines at gas stations, natural gas remains plentiful since the U.S. can produce all the gas we consume, and coal imports from Russia make up a minuscule .05% of modest imports. This seems like an opportune moment to consider how information communications technology, e.g., Advanced Metering Infrastructure, Distributed Energy Resources, Microgrids, Internet of Things, connecting the growing generation of renewable energy resources, etc. can shape, power, and safeguard the American power supply and delivery. ICT has many facets, and UTC’s members are active in all of them. Becoming energy independent is a big job and entails all sectors from oil and gas to wind and solar. Let us use the combined creativity and ingenuity of our utilities to chart the fastest course to a carbon-neutral future while ensuring the safe, reliable, and affordable generation, transmission, and delivery of power to Americans.”
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About UTC
The Utilities Technology Council (UTC) is a global trade association dedicated to serving critical infrastructure providers. Through advocacy, education, and collaboration, UTC creates a favorable business, regulatory, and technology environment for our members who own or operate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) systems in support of their core business. For more information: UTC.org
