Pennsylvania legislators (Democrats and RINOs) who were banking on the federal government to “fix” the problem of the free market are panicking after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rejected DOE Sec. Rick Perry’s so-called Grid Resiliency Pricing Rule that would tip the scales in favor coal and nuclear energy, keeping unprofitable electric generators in business longer (see FERC Rejects Trump DOE Plan to Favor Coal & Nukes re Electric Grid). The PA legislators are panicking because nuke and coal plants in the state may now shut down much sooner than expected. To be fair, those plants employ a number of good people–and we hate to see anyone lose a job. But the fact is new gas-fired plants are taking their place, and those new gas plants generate good jobs too. The legislators were hoping the feds would do something, and since the feds aren’t doing anything, that means the problem now bounces back to the individual states, including PA. There’s a lot of hand wringing around Harrisburg. To which we say, relax! Marcellus Shale gas has got your back. Most of the noise about this issue comes from those who own the dinosaur/dying facilities. They don’t really give a flip about “grid reliability.” They only care about their own businesses and seek crony capitalism to prop up the bottom line. FERC made the right decision. PA legislators need to get a grip. This is not the end of the world…
