In a recent online newsletter, state Sen. Ryan Aument summarized a meeting he attended with four other state senators, three members of the Ohio General Assembly and PJM Interconnection, which manages the mid-Atlantic power grid.
The PJM officials expressed concern about there being sufficient power available to meet consumer demand in the near future. Insufficient power would result in increased prices, a risk of blackouts and restrictions on electric usage.
PJM projects that 20% of existing electric generation capacity will be retired by 2030.
Legislators at the meeting from both states assert that “short-sighted” environmental policies such as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and dependence on green energy sources “will only expedite the collapse of the already strained energy grid.”
State Sen. Elder Vogel, chair of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, said, “Solar fields and windmills are not going to meet our energy needs.” Therefore, state Sen. Gene Yaw has proposed legislation to improve the permitting process for infrastructure and the transmission of more natural gas.
We’ve just gotten through the hottest July on record, resulting in a large increase in electric usage, and these state legislators essentially propose throwing more fuel on the fire.
The states that are members of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative have seen the cost of electricity decrease. Nationwide, the cost of green energy keeps falling.
The past two winters, Texas has had trouble delivering natural gas during cold weather, while there was no problem with the delivery of green energy.
We must streamline the permitting process for solar and wind energy — not for more gas infrastructure. Fossil fuels are on the way out; the future lies in clean, renewable energy.
Dan Sweigart
Ephrata
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