As coal plants shut down, the urgency to fill that void has led to an over-reliance on battery solutions, which cannot provide the consistent power necessary to maintain grid stability.
Last month, House Minority Leader Tony McCombie filed a legislative bill package to address those concerns and the larger idea that higher energy demands are outpacing deadlines set by current law.
Leader McCombie’s bills extend deadlines that mandate all coal and natural gas-fired power plants close by 2045, and under the Climate & Equitable Jobs Act, that restrictions facing gas-fired facilities begin in 2030:
- HB5897: Extends deadlines by 5 years for reduced or zero carbon dioxide equivalent for electric generating units and large greenhouse gas-emitting units.
- HB5898: Extends deadlines by 10 years for reduced or zero carbon dioxide equivalent for electric generating units and large greenhouse gas-emitting units.
- HB5899: Extends deadlines by 5 years for reduced or zero carbon dioxide equivalent for electric generating units and large greenhouse gas-emitting units that use coal as a fuel.
For McCombie, it is essential lawmakers take a realistic approach to accommodate current energy demands, while looking for avenues to advance clean energy. The work will continue in the new legislative year, in the 104th General Assembly.