Electric Grid Study Ordered by U.S. Energy Chief to Boost Coal
- Review to consider how renewable subsidies affect electric mix
- Keeping the lights on even when the wind isn’t blowing
This article is for subscribers only.
U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry is ordering a study of the U.S. electric grid, with an eye to examining whether policies that favor wind and solar energy are accelerating the retirement of coal and nuclear plants critical to ensuring steady, reliable power supplies.
The 60-day review, which Perry set in motion Friday, comes as regulators increasingly wonder how to balance electric reliability with a raft of state policies that prioritize less stable renewable energy sources.