August 24, 2017

Manchin Statement on DOE Grid Study

Washington, D.C.  – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) released the following statement on the Department of Energy’s (DOE) grid study that was released last night.

“I am very pleased that Secretary Perry and the Department of Energy released this report examining the potential for reliability and resiliency issues within our electricity supply and delivery systems. I urge my colleagues to recognize that without coal our country will face a reliability crisis in the very near term. This study recognizes the reality that today’s electric markets and market rules have tilted the playing field against traditional baseload generation, particularly nuclear and coal-fired power plants. These plants deliver 24/7 reliable resilient power across our nation but they are increasingly disadvantaged due to a number of factors. The DOE’s analysis reflects the reality that there are areas of real concern that we must monitor and stand ready to address.

“Coal has long been the workhorse of the electric sector and EIA projects that it will continue to be leaned on for years to come, alongside natural gas, nuclear and renewable sources. As Americans, we are increasingly reliant on electricity to grow our economy and maintain our way of life. It is imperative that we stay vigilant in ensuring that baseload power plants are able to compete in order to truly achieve an all-of-the-above energy mix.”

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