The energy landscape is evolving at an accelerated pace. We’re in the midst of a push towards net-zero carbon emissions while increasing reliance on electricity. While some of this is good, the energy decisions we make today will determine if there are enough resources to meet demand for years to come. Reliability must be at the top of our list when determining what our energy future looks like. Unfortunately, this is at risk due to a number of factors:
- Premature, Disorderly Retirement of Existing Generation: As reliable, 24/7 generation assets are retired earlier than expected, new sources of generation are not being built fast enough to replace what’s being taken from the market. Additionally, many of the newer resources are weather dependent and only provide intermittent power.
- Electrifying the Economy: A study, released by the Electric Power Research Institute and GTI Energy, found that the US would need to increase generation capacity by 160-480% if we are to meet climate goals set by the Paris Accord.
- Permitting Challenges: The current permitting process to build new generation and transmission assets can take up to 10 years due to regulatory hurdles.
- Supply Chain: The energy industry is experiencing an unprecedented shortage of basic grid components to maintain a reliable electric grid.
- Natural Gas Availability: As the grid becomes increasingly reliant on intermittent generation sources like wind and solar, the U.S. is also increasingly reliant on natural gas generation to fill the gaps. The push to move away from gas further exacerbates the issue of not enough supply to meet demand.
In recent years, our nation has seen rolling blackouts as a result of the grid being taxed during extreme weather. This problem will only get worse if we don’t act now. I strongly urge you to work with your colleagues to ensure that as we transition to an electrified economy, we have the power we need to stay safe during extreme temperatures, feed and water our livestock, and keep our communities connected.
Thank you for your consideration.
