09Oct

EPA to Close Record 72 GW of Power

More than 72 gigawatts (GW) of electrical generating capacity have already, or are now set to retire because of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) regulations. The regulations causing these closures include the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (colloquially called MATS, or Utility MACT)[1], proposed Cross State Air Pollution Rule (CSAPR)[2], and the proposed regulation of […]
09Oct

EPA Rule Will Hurt Businesses, Consumers

For years leading up to the release of the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule limiting carbon emissions from utilities, environmentalists championed the talking point that states should expand renewable energy mandates and subsidies to “get ahead” of anticipated federal regulation. States such as Wisconsin and Minnesota made major investments in renewable production, energy efficiency […]
08Oct

Report: EPA’s Clean Power Plan To Hit African-American Families Hardest

Environmental Protection Agency power plant regulations are projected to raise electricity prices in the coming years, forcing struggling families to pay more for energy. But African-American communities will be some of the hardest hit by the EPA’s “Clean Power Plan,” according to a new study. The Pacific Research Institute reports that annual electricity spending for […]
07Oct

EPA Regulations Limiting Carbon-Dioxide Will Lead to National Power Failure

Last month, a U.S. House science committee hearing on President Obama’s proposed greenhouse gas rules was interrupted when the lights in the room went out. The irony was lost on no one. If the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulations limiting carbon dioxide emissions are implemented, the result could be a slow-motion power failure for the United […]
02Oct

EPA Doubles Down on Last Winter’s Power Plant Outages

National Mining Association (NMA) President and CEO Hal Quinn today called attention to new findings by the North American Reliability Corp. (NERC) that 35,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity was temporarily idled during last winter’s cold snap. Of far greater concern, says Quinn, should be the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed Clean Power Plan that […]
30Sep

Texas Committee Hears of ‘Severe Threat’ From EPA Carbon Plan

A committee of Texas lawmakers gathered yesterday to hear what’s becoming a familiar refrain in the state — that U.S. EPA’s plan to slash carbon dioxide emissions at existing power plants is a costly and expansive threat. “This rule’s not about technology solving environmental problems inside the fence,” said Mike Nasi, general counsel for Balanced […]
29Sep

Electric Bills Heading Up This Winter

Massachusetts consumers will pay significantly higher electric bills this winter as a persistent shortage of natural gas for generating plants drives power prices to record levels. The cost for a typical household could top $150 a month, based on an announcement this week from one of the state’s two dominant utilities, National Grid. It said […]
25Sep

Fla. Utilities Cite Geography, Fuel Diversity in Criticizing EPA Rule

Florida’s electric utilities have rather profound thoughts about U.S. EPA’s proposed rule to cut carbon emissions from existing power plants, a survey of documents submitted to state utility regulators shows. Mostly, the utilities think EPA’s rule as it pertains to Florida is unfair, unachievable and costly. “The level of reductions projected by the EPA in […]
23Sep

Electrical Grid: GAO Report Raises Concern

As more coal-fired power plants are shuttered across the nation, the greater the impact will be on the nation’s economy and electrical grid. That’s the conclusion of an alarming new report from the Government Accountability Office, which recently examined the impact of retiring coal-fired power plants in response to crippling new Environmental Protection Agency standards. […]