The following article by James Van Nostrand, Director of the Center for Energy and Sustainable Development; Professor of Law, West Virginia University, was posted on the Conversation.com website June 6, 2018:
President Donald Trump recently ordered Energy Secretary Rick Perry to take “immediate steps” to stop the closure of coal and nuclear power plants.
And according to a draft memo that surfaced the same day, the federal government may establish a “Strategic Electric Generation Reserve” to purchase electricity from coal and nuclear plants for two years.
Both proposals, which have garnered little support, are premised on these power plants being essential to national security. If implemented, the government would be activating emergency powers rarely tapped before for any purpose.
Based on my four decades of experience as a utility regulatory attorney and law professor, I can see why this proposal has caused much controversy, partly because of how energy markets work. Continue reading “Here’s why Trump’s new strategy to keep ailing coal and nuclear plants open makes no sense”