Utilities endorse climate-change bill

Six electric companies plan to support a Senate bill to cut greenhouse-gas emissions to curb global warming.

The bill, cosponsored by Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Tom Carper  (D-Del.), would establish a national “cap and trade” program to limit power-plant carbon-dioxide emissions by 25 percent by 2020 from current projections.

The companies are members of the Clean Energy Group, which has advocated for a carbon cap in the past. The Carper-Feinstein bill is the “most aggressive emission reduction bill supported by industry to date,” according to a news release.

The companies supporting the bill are Calpine, Entergy, Exelon, Florida Power & Light, PG&E Corp. and Public Service Enterprise Group.