North Carolina Could Benefit from Changes to Electric Grid

Via The Herald-Sun:

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 upended the apple cart. Earlier this year, Energy Secretary Rick Perry commissioned a study that noted a sizable decline in America’s “baseload” power, and urged steps to improve the reliability of the nation’s electric grid.

Overall, Perry is advocating an “all of the above” mix for the nation’s power sector. And this is eminently sensible. But in attempting to shore up America’s power grid, Perry is facing criticism because he’s chosen to prioritize reliable, practical power generation. Significantly, his proposal could help to preserve 100 megawatts of North Carolina’s coal capacity – a significant step for a state that generates 32 percent of its electricity from coal, and enjoys utility prices below the national average.

America’s electric grid depends on a bulwark of baseload power to continuously meet the nation’s daily operational needs. For decades, this massive lift has been undertaken by coal and nuclear plants. However, America has lost an unprecedented amount of baseload capacity in recent years. Since 2010, more than 60 gigawatts of coal capacity has disappeared – enough electricity to power 40 million homes.

No doubt, rising natural gas production and a decade of crippling federal regulations have served to eliminate a substantial portion of America’s coal fleet. And bankruptcies and cost overruns have simultaneously hampered replacements for an aging nuclear industry.

But in response, Perry has proposed that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) allow some power plants to recover the cost of storing on-site fuel. Such fuel storage allows power stations to run non-stop during extreme weather. Typically, America’s utilities give priority to the lowest-cost energy option for power transmission. But Perry is urging a pricing mechanism that would value these plants for their ability to continually provide power during disruptive events like massive storms and frigid winters.

The bottom line is that coal and nuclear plants still produce 50 percent of the nation’s electricity. It’s a significant – but declining – share of the energy needed to ensure reliable electricity. Thus, Perry is simply taking a very real-world approach to a burgeoning problem.

Fortunately, other steps are underway to help secure America’s electricity supply. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s has announced a repeal of the Clean Power Plan (CPP), which would likely spare the premature retirement of more coal-fired plants that already employ stringent emissions controls while providing 24/7 electricity.

Polling shows that 70 percent of voters favor a diverse mix of fuel sources to maintain grid reliability and affordable power. So rather than simply take coal and nuclear power plants offline, the Trump Administration can support a more reliable electric grid by encouraging upgrades to existing facilities. These are important considerations for the coming decades, when an ever-growing nation will look to keep powering its schools, hospitals, and infrastructure. Perry is right to help ensure a continuation of the reliable and affordable power that undergirds America.

See the article here.