I’m thinking we might have to start a "Media Watch" blog just to point out all the misinformation and bias contained in media reports.
Unfortunately, at the current rate, we’d probably need to hire someone full time to write about it.
The latest entry is currently the headline article on the News & Observer regarding Progress Energy delaying the constructing of a new nuclear (er… nucular, right Mr. President?) reactor at Sharon Harris and committing to reduce energy consumption by 2,000 megawatts per day through conservation.
***Wait, hold on… Progress is doing this on their own and not being mandated to by government? How in the heck? You mean, business can do good and right things to "go green" without government edict? Really?
But anyway, back to the article, an interesting theory is advanced…
Progress will develop an energy efficiency program to offset 2,000 megawatts of electricity, equivalent to several power plants. At the same time, the company vowed not to propose any new coal-burning power plants for two years. Coal plants are the primary contributors to global warming.
What? The primary contributor? According to what research? How can a statement like this just be made by the largest newspaper in North Carolina as fact without any sourcing? Are there no editorial standards anymore?
Max says
I think you’re missing some of the bigger picture on this one. Progress already has investments in natural gas and nuclear, which they’re trying to expand. They are investing in anticipation of a carbon tax environment. They know their competitors will lose in said environment. Hence, they are happy to make this transition. There may be immediate profit motive in it, but they are also rent seeking—counting as they are on caps or taxes.