NEW YORK, April 28 (UPI) -- North American utility executives say they expect the Obama presidency to include stricter environmental regulations and higher electricity prices.
A poll released Tuesday by Platts, the energy publishing arm of McGraw-Hill, said 58 percent of executives said there was a strong likelihood of increased environmental regulation in the next few years, and 53 percent expected their customers' power bill would be going up.
Another 54 percent of executives predicted the administration's energy strategy would have an impact on their profits. Only 39 percent supported the White House's goal of producing 10 percent of the U.S. electricity supply through renewable sources by 2012.
Some 88 percent of the 100 executives surveyed supported plans to develop nuclear power while 79 percent supported domestic natural gas production and 74 percent backed continued development of clean-coal technology.
Energy conservation and efficiency programs were also supported by around 70 percent and 45 percent said construction of a natural gas pipeline from Alaska through Canada to the lower 48 should be a top government priority.
The third annual Platts/Capgemini Utilities Executive Study was conducted in late 2008 and early 2009 and polled 100 top executives of electricity and natural-gas utilities in the United States and Canada.
