Hoeven presses ferc to fairly value coal, account for baseload capacity and 24/7 reliability

 

Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, this week met with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Neil Chatterjee to continue to urge that coal be fairly valued given its reliability as a baseload power source that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The senator stressed that the grid is being forced away from this fuel due to subsidies and state-level mandates that are impeding markets’ ability to properly price for the benefits provided by coal-generated electricity. Hoeven outlined the need to maintain diverse sources of power in order to maintain the reliability of the nation’s electrical grid.

           “I met with the chairman of FERC to again make the case that coal needs to be valued fairly,” said Hoeven. “Lignite is ‘always on,’ providing baseload power to the grid and ensuring access to electricity when it is needed most, such as during extreme cold. North Dakota’s coal-fired power plants are critical to grid reliability and energy affordability in the Midwest. By properly valuing coal’s benefits, along with the regulatory relief we have provided at the federal level and the new technologies we are advancing, like Project Tundra, we can help ensure a strong future for this industry while reducing emissions and improving environmental stewardship, both here at home and abroad.”