[SEIA, 1 June 2018]

Numerous energy industry and trade groups, including those focused in energy efficiency and storage, oil, solar and wind, and natural gas, have come together to condemn the Trump Administration’s recently revealed plan to “bail out coal and nuclear plants.” These groups include Solar Energies Industries Association (SEIA), American Petroleum Institute (API), Advanced Energy Economy (AEE), American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE), the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE), Electricity Consumers Resources Council (ELCON), Electric Power Supply Association (ESPA), Energy Storage Association (ESA), and Natural Gas Supply Association (NGSA). The comments by these groups-against the bail out plan- are very similar; they say that it is not economically profitable or reasonable to support failing plants and that this will have negative repercussions on the electricity grid. For instance, Kelly Speakes-Backman, the ESA CEO, states, “Any action that undermines market stability to support new entrants like energy storage – resources that enhance grid resilience and reduce costs to consumers – will erode opportunities to create a more reliable and resilient, efficient, sustainable and affordable grid.” Todd Foley likewise comments, ““The Administration’s draft plan for potential emergency action would be unwarranted, and would actually undermine competitive markets, raising electricity costs to consumers and businesses across the country. Arbitrary market interventions deprive businesses of the certainty they need to invest in power plants of all types, harming not helping electric reliability.”