NE Washington News

Congressman Bob Latta, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, addressed the ongoing challenges facing regional grid reliability in a hearing titled "Keeping the Lights On: Examining the State of Regional Grid Reliability." In his opening statement, Latta highlighted concerns about an electric reliability crisis impacting two-thirds of the United States.

Latta emphasized that regional grid operators and ERCOT are responsible for overseeing reliability, administering electricity markets, and coordinating transmission development. Despite their similar functions, each operator addresses unique regional and demographic differences.

"Our country is in the midst of a reliability crisis," stated Latta. He pointed out that 52 gigawatts of generation capacity will retire within four years, equivalent to approximately 40 nuclear plants or 500 square miles of solar panels. Meanwhile, demand continues to rise due to advancements in artificial intelligence and domestic manufacturing.

Latta expressed concern that renewables cannot replace dispatchable baseload power essential for system stability. He questioned whether new baseload generation could meet increasing demands as older supply retires.

The congressman criticized federal policies like the Clean Power Plan 2.0 for driving premature retirements of baseload power and discouraging investment. He argued that significant subsidies for intermittent generation undermine baseload resources necessary for reliability.

Latta also noted challenges posed by state policies restricting fossil fuel use and systemic permitting issues hindering infrastructure development. "Markets cannot build what governments do not let them," he said.

He called for a pragmatic government approach recognizing diverse fuel sources' benefits while addressing market inefficiencies to ensure reliable electricity supply during critical periods.

"I look forward to today’s discussion regarding the ongoing reliability crisis," concluded Latta.