Trump admin to order grid operators to buy electricity from struggling coal and nuke plants

[fleur-de-lisa]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-06-01/trump-said-to-grant-lifeline-to-money-losing-coal-power-plants-jhv94ghl

Trump administration officials are making plans to order grid operators to buy electricity from struggling coal and nuclear plants in an effort to extend their life, a move that could represent an unprecedented intervention into U.S. energy markets.

The Energy Department would exercise emergency authority under a pair of federal laws to direct the operators to purchase electricity or electric generation capacity from at-risk facilities, according to a memo obtained by Bloomberg News. The agency also is making plans to establish a "Strategic Electric Generation Reserve" with the aim of promoting the national defense and maximizing domestic energy supplies.

The plan cuts to the heart of a debate over the reliability and resiliency of a rapidly evolving U.S. electricity grid. Nuclear and coal-fired power plants are struggling to compete against cheap natural gas and renewable electricity. As nuclear and coal plants are decommissioned, regulators have been grappling with how to ensure that the nation’s power system can withstand extreme weather events and cyber-attacks.

Although the memo describes a planned Energy Department directive, there was no indication President Donald Trump had signed off on the action nor when any order might be issued. The document, dated May 29 and distributed Thursday, is marked as a "draft," which is "not for further distribution," and could be used by administration officials to justify the intervention.

The ShitHole Administration is a fucking criminal enterprise.

[Pantagruel]

1. Kudlow's free market capitalism

in action? He's such a hypocrite!

[Thomas Hurt]

2. what happened to smaller gov't and the free market.......

[FiveGoodMen]

8. They were both lies from the beginning

[Achilleaze]

3. repubes picking winners and losers - pissing on the free market

repubes always eager to ditch their so-called "conservative principles" to enrich the already rich. How about tossing some more freaking republican "tax breaks" to your corporate moneybuck pollution buddies... sick FAKE conservatives are out of control.

[htuttle]

4. Looks like the invisible hand of the market turned into a fist again

[Solly Mack]

9. +1

[jpak]

5. How can the POTUS "order" an industry to buy something it doesn't want and...

can't afford?

Fascism anyone?

[duforsure]

6. I smell lots of lawsuits coming

Against this dictator from many businesses if they continue to allow him to bully them into submission like he did the NFL.

[SWBTATTReg]

7. I agree! Many different entities will file lawsuits...

Koch brothers, they want to sell their nat. gas. Public Utility Commissions in each state...feds have no jurisdiction (I think) unless power transmissions run across state lines. Everyday Jack and Jill, in that legislative efforts in many states (like Missouri) mandated that power be purchased from solar and/or wind farms (a somewhat significant percentage).

Again, trying to enact something w/o the major players and their feedback. Simply because RUMP and his 'I alone, know it all' mentality.