Biden’s Climate Policies Push Power Grid to the Limit
The Biden administration has finalized regulations cracking down on fossil fuel-fired power plants as part of its sweeping climate agenda. The rules target all coal-fired power generation and future natural gas power plants, aiming to reduce carbon emissions by 90%.
According to the Energy Information Administration, at least 20 natural gas-fired power plants are expected to come online in 2024 and 2025, with a total capacity of 7.7 gigawatts, enough to power millions of homes.
The regulations are the subject of an ongoing investigation by the House Oversight Committee. And, separately, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., the ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, vowed Thursday to soon introduce a resolution overturning the regulations.
Democrats and environmentalists have long targeted the power sector over its high emissions as part of their efforts to stave off cataclysmic climate change. Shortly after he took office, Biden pledged to enable the nation to achieve an up to 52% total emission reduction by 2030 and to create a carbon-free power sector by 2035.
Critics, however, warn that the regulations will strain the power grid, leading to blackouts and higher energy prices. The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association CEO Jim Matheson told Fox News Digital, “We’re concerned it’s going to impact the reliability of our grid.”
In August, four nonpartisan grid operators that collectively provide power to 154 million Americans warned EPA’s regulations as proposed would cause grid reliability to “dwindle to concerning levels.” The North American Electric Reliability Corporation, which oversees the entire U.S. grid, forecasted months later that there will be future power supply crunches as a result of premature power plant retirements.
Despite these concerns, the Biden administration has pressed ahead with its unrealistic climate agenda that threatens access to affordable, reliable energy for households and employers across the country.
