Three House Democrats ask watchdog to probe 'peaker' power plant pollution

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Three House Democrats from New York on Tuesday called on a federal watchdog to investigate pollution generated by "peaker" power plants, or those that only generate electricity during periods of high demand.

House Oversight Committee Chair Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) joined Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) in calling on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate the effects of such plants on local communities.

The lawmakers noted that the plants are both less energy-efficient than standard power plants and are frequently located in lower-income or predominantly minority neighborhoods.

"Addressing the use of peaker plants, which can emit twice the carbon and up to 20 times the nitrous oxides of a typical plant while operating significantly less efficiently, represents a high-impact opportunity to reduce climate risks and tackle a life-threatening environmental justice issue," they wrote. "We request GAO's assistance in reporting on key data to assess damage, uncover health burdens, calculate economic costs, and identify alternative solutions to the use of peaker power plants."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/three-house-democrats-ask-watchdog-to-probe-peaker-power-plant-pollution/ar-AAS1R6n

[hunter]

1. Ideally we'd have a slight excess of carbon free electricity at all times.

The "peaks" would be times otherwise surplus electricity could be used to pump fresh water uphill to places like Phoenix or Las Vegas, make ice for cooling in the late afternoon, etc.