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. […]
22Sep

Will EPA Rules Leave Americans Out in the Cold this Winter?

Imagine what good could have occurred if the United States Senate had followed suit last year after the House of Representatives passed the Regulations from Executive In Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act? The REINS Act, an idea offered by retired Campbell County Judge-Executive Lloyd Rogers, requires congressional approval for regulations deemed to cost more than […]
20Sep

EPA Rules for Coal-fired Power Threaten Midwest Reliability — Grid Operator

A wave of coal plant closures in the Midwest tied to new U.S. EPA clean air rules is squeezing critical reserve margins — the excess power that’s provided a buffer against reliability problems — in Michigan, Kentucky, Iowa and Indiana, a top grid expert warned yesterday. Clair Moeller, who supervises transmission and technology for the […]
19Sep

17 State Utility Commissioners Say EPA Plan Would be Bad for Reliability

U.S. EPA should reconsider its proposal for existing power plants in order to keep a reliable supply of inexpensive power flowing to consumers, a group of 17 current and future utility commissioners said today. In a letter organized by the National Mining Association’s Count on Coal campaign, the officials called EPA’s June 2 proposal an […]
18Sep

N.Y.’s Reliability Could be in Trouble Starting in 2019 — State Grid Operator

The Empire State will begin to experience power generation shortages in the southeastern part of the state starting in 2019 unless something is done to correct the looming reality of too little electricity in the region, a report on the bulk power system concluded. The New York Independent System Operator in its latest “reality needs […]
18Sep

Senators: Higher Energy Costs Could Force Almost 1 Million into Poverty

A 10-percent increase in home energy costs could push 840,000 people into poverty, according to a new white paper by two GOP senators. Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Tim Scott (S.C.) argue that lawmakers should consider the impact of policy changes and federal regulations on the energy expenses incurred by households. “Too many Americans […]