10Nov

Big Wind and Tax Reform

Via The Wall Street Journal: Conservatives make fun of indulgent liberal parents whose offspring remain dependents well into their 20s. But Republicans rewriting the tax code in Washington are coddling a millennial of their own: the wind lobby. In the 1980s wind power was dubbed an “infant industry” that needed federal help to grow. More […]
10Nov

Blackouts from Phoenix to Los Angeles if Coal Plant Shuts Down, Study from Coal Company Says

Via The Washington Examiner: A study being released Thursday will warn of brownouts and blackouts if the largest coal plant in the West is shut down in favor of natural gas-fired electricity. The study by consultants Quanta Technology and funded by coal giant Peabody was submitted to Arizona’s state utility commission. It supports keeping the Navajo Generating […]
08Nov

Pennsylvania’s Electric Grid Relies on Sturdy Baseload Power

Via The Bradford Era: America’s energy sector has reached an interesting crossroads. After eight years of the Obama administration working to dismantle the nation’s coal fleet, the Trump administration has swept into office and upended the apple cart. Earlier this year, Energy Secretary Rick Perry commissioned a study to assess the health of America’s power […]
07Nov

EPA Right to Plan for Hearing in WV

Via The Charleston Gazette-Mail: You may remember that when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was holding hearings on its Clean Power Plan, the agency was at pains to avoid giving people in coal states opportunities to comment. The 2015 hearings were held in Atlanta, Denver, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. Now, the EPA is planning to rescind […]
06Nov

EPA Plans Coal-country Hearing on Obama Climate Rule Repeal

Via The Hill:   The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a public hearing this month in West Virginia on its plan to repeal the Obama administration’s climate change rule for power plants. The hearing will be in Charleston and stretch over two days, Nov. 28 and 29. By comparison, the Obama administration held four […]
06Nov

Pennsylvania’s Electric Grid Relies on Sturdy Baseload Power

Via The Meadville Tribune: America’s energy sector has reached an interesting crossroads. After eight years of the Obama Administration working to dismantle the nation’s coal fleet, the Trump Administration has swept into office and upended the apple cart. Earlier this year, Energy Secretary Rick Perry commissioned a study to assess the health of America’s power […]
03Nov

EPA to Hold Public Hearing in Charleston on Clean Power Plan

Via The Bluefield Daily Telegraph: CHARLESTON — State residents will have a chance to tell federal regulators their views on an emissions restriction plan that the Trump Administration is trying to repeal because of its impact on the coal industry. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) announced Thursday that the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) will hold a public […]
03Nov

A Majority of Americans Support Safeguarding Base Load Energy

Via World Coal: As the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) this week closed its comment period on a proposal from the Department of Energy (DOE) that FERC take swift action to address threats to baseload power provided by coal and nuclear, the majority of Americans showed support for the proposal. According to Morning Consult for […]
02Nov

U.S. Becoming Too Dependent on Natural Gas for Energy

Via the Las Cruces Sun-News: There is no overstating the extent to which the United States is quickly becoming over-dependent on one fuel for production of electricity – natural gas. This growing reliance exposes consumers of natural gas and electricity to the risk of sudden spikes in prices – and a loss of reliability. Parts […]
01Nov

US Electric Grid is Too Vulnerable to Not Have a Backup Plan

Via The Hill: If there is one undisputed role for the federal government, it is to protect its people as best it can. From national defense to public health, governments of every party can agree on this much. Today, a debate is simmering over a new but little-known threat — the weakened reliability of the […]