DOE Plans to Prop up Dirty Coal Plants

The Department of Energy published the plans it will use to try to boost coal and other fossil fuels on the electric grid, falsely claiming it will need to keep old, polluting plants on-line to protect the reliability of the power grid.

The new report follows by just days the passage of the congressional tax bill in a party-line vote that stymies the additions of low-cost and much-needed new solar, wind and battery power. Analysts predict that the legislation will reduce additions of the electricity needed to meet surging power demand, and spike wholesale electricity prices by as much as 25% in five years.

DOE has already falsely invoked emergency powers to prevent two fossil fuel plants from retiring despite regional and state approval and against the plant owners' wishes. This report promises to continue to usurp the process at the cost of consumers' pocketbooks.

The following is a comment from Kit Kennedy, managing director for power at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):

“It’s ironic that the Energy department is warning about reliability just days after Republicans in Congress repealed the clean energy tax credits. More clean energy will make the U.S. grid stronger, more reliable and more resilient – all while saving consumers money on their electricity bills. Bailing out old, dirty coal, gas and oil plants would mean higher costs and a less reliable grid.”

“No matter how they try to gussy it up, bailing out coal or other fossil fuels when low-cost solar and wind power is growing so quickly makes even less sense today than it did in 2017 when the previous Trump administration tried it before. That’s why we will be fighting this plan, too.”

For more, please see this blog from NRDC’s Christy Walsh.