In the news today…
Grid:
- Politico and Utility Dive report as utilities warn the U.S. EPA’s new power plant emissions rules could threaten grid reliability by forcing fossil fuel facility shutdowns, the agency says it is confident that reliability won’t be affected.
- Reuters reports that the nation’s coal-fired power plant fleet is projected to decline by more than half by 2050, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, as aging fleets are replaced by new plants powered by natural gas and renewable energy and as environmental regulations make it more costly to operate the facilities. Meanwhile, the combined capacity from solar and wind power generation is expected to more than triple by 2050.
- Reuters reports that several parts of North America are at elevated risk of energy shortfalls this summer during periods of extreme air conditioning demand, according to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), the organization responsible for the reliability of the North American power grids.
EPA:
- Washington Post reports from Bloomberg on the new EPA power plant rules.
- Wall Street Journal carries an op-ed which argues against the damaging effects of the new EPA rules.
- E&E Daily reports many congressional Democrats are defending the EPA’s latest move to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions at power plants around the country — despite ferocious pushback from Republicans and skepticism from industry allies.
Mining:
- E&E Daily reports House Democrats on Thursday blasted as unconstitutional a Republican resolution that would undo federal protections near Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to allow mining.