VP Biden Talks About Ways To Improve Nation's Aging Energy Infrastructure During Philadelphia Visit
By Paul Kurtz
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Vice President Joe Biden visited PECO headquarters in Center City Philadelphia to promote a new White House initiative aimed at modernizing the country's energy infrastructure and fighting climate change.
The Vice President's visit coincided with the release of a White House report that focuses on ways to modernize the nation's vast network of pipelines, transmission lines, delivery systems and other elements of the infrastructure. Biden says the grid, in its current state, can't take the constant pounding from today's ultra powerful storms.
"Between 2003 and 2012 an estimated 679 widespread outages occurred due to severe weather, costing the U.S. economy an $18-33 billion cost each year due to the nature of the storm," said Vice President Biden.
Biden also pointed out that the U.S. is pumping more oil and gas than ever before. Investing in infrastructure, he says, will attract new business and create good paying jobs.
