coal-fired power plants

27Jan

The Coal Fleet Remains Essential

A new report from the Sierra Club finds that dozens of the nation’s utilities plan on running their existing coal plants well beyond 2030. This is apparently devastating news for the Sierra Club’s “beyond coal” crowd, but for most Americans it should be a reminder of the incredibly important role coal continues to play in […]
20Apr

The Long Road Back to Balanced Rulemaking

There was no shortage of doomsday coverage of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to revisit the cost benefit analysis underpinning the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS rule). But in the same breath that outlets like The New York Times sounded the alarm about weakening regulations on the release of mercury, they also […]
30Jan

A Failure to Connect the Dots

The U.S. has a growing energy infrastructure problem. More precisely, major transmission lines needed to move wind and solar power from regions of production to centers of demand aren’t being built at nearly the pace needed. Natural gas pipeline additions are also failing to keep up with gas demand. One infrastructure project after another is […]
27Jan

Pumping the Brakes on Power Grid Jenga

Indiana is right to be concerned. Coal has been indispensable in providing the low-cost, reliable power that has fueled industry in one of the nation’s leading manufacturing states. The sudden and accelerating loss of coal power in Indiana, and in surrounding states – without a plan to reliably replace it – has lawmakers and energy […]
30Oct

Are You Afraid of the Dark?

What’s scarier than a Stephen Strasburg curveball? Ask the Houston Astros and they’d probably say, “not much.” But Halloween’s imminent arrival means a different kind of scary. If there’s a constant about what scares us, it’s the dark. Watch most – if not all – scary or post-apocalyptic films and the first thing to go […]
14Aug

The Texas Reliability Two Step

The Texas grid has been pushed to its limits this week. Demand for power has exceeded supply, prices have soared and energy experts and consumers alike have waited with bated breath for rolling brownouts or blackouts.   On Monday, electricity demand hit a new record and electricity prices spiked to $6,500 per megawatt hour. On […]
05Jun

Driving Up the Cost of Power for Consumers

Making an apples to apples comparison of new weather-dependent renewables against existing coal or nuclear power plants cannot be done – at least not with our existing tools. Not only are you trying to compare one source of variable power to dispatchable, baseload generation that’s available 24-7, but you’re also attempting to compare a facility […]
04Apr

A Clear Call for Action on Grid Reliability

Last Friday, Real Clear Politics hosted an event on the future of the U.S. electricity grid, or rather the challenge of maintaining grid reliability as the nation’s electricity mix undergoes dramatic change. The event, sponsored by NMA and America’s Power, brought together energy experts and officials on the frontline of the issue, including the Secretary […]
27Mar

New Report Reaffirms Electricity Markets Aren’t Adequately Valuing Reliability

A new study being pushed by renewables advocates deserves note – but not for the reason its backers claim. It is noteworthy in that it is the perfect example of just how dysfunctional our electricity markets actually are and how uninformed the energy debate has become. The study, titled “The Coal Cost Crossover,” suggests that […]
14Feb

Evaluating Grid Reliability Requires Examining What’s to Come, Not What’s Been

It was the study energy wonks were sure was going to be a deal maker or breaker in the ongoing debate about fuel-secure sources of generation and the reliability and resilience of the grid. It turns out, the study is neither of those things. E&E News obtained the unpublished draft study, and, if anything, it […]