Pro-Coal and Nuclear Conclusions in Long-Awaited Grid Study Don’t Match Findings

Media Contacts

Environment America

Late last night, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released its long-awaited study intended to look at the reliability of the electric grid. In April, citing concerns that the growth of renewable energy and environmental requirements were undermining the reliability of the power system, Secretary Rick Perry ordered DOE to conduct an analysis. Despite finding that neither the growth of renewable energy nor environmental regulations have had a material impact on the grid reliability, the study recommends increasing compensation for “baseload” coal and nuclear plants and loosening environmental protections.

Environment America’s Energy Program Director, Rob Sargent, issued the following statement:  

“The substance of this study confirms what we already knew. That is, renewable energy and environmental protections have little or nothing to do with the reliability of the grid. Let’s be clear. The study is a not-so-thinly veiled attempt to prop up dirty fuels and undermine clean, renewable energy. It’s another in a long list of actions by the Trump Administration to defy the facts in order to carry the water for the polluter lobby.

Clean energy is on the rise, and it’s working to make our communities cleaner and our children healthier. Given our environmental challenges and the very real threats posed by changes in our climate, we need to work together to accelerate the shift to clean energy.   

We should not tolerate actions like this designed to extend the life of polluting and risky power plants. Instead, decision-makers should reject the report’s contrived pro-dirty energy recommendations and move us to a clean energy future as quickly as possible.