By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent
Opposition to President Donald J. Trump’s policies seem to be falling away at an increasingly rapid pace – one more obstacle to his nuclear and coal bailout has gone by the wayside.
Federal Energy Regulatory Commissioner Robert Powelson, who had steadfastly opposed the plans to prop up failing nuclear and coal plants unexpectedly announced that he will retire from FERC effective in mid-August. Powelson will be leaving to take over as the president and CEO of the National Association of Water Companies.
Losing a staunch ally in the fight over the bailout at this stage does not bode well for the future of the opposition and makes it ever more likely that that plan, currently being hatched in secret at the Department of Energy under Secretary Rick Perry, will come to fruition – and that means a significant obstacle for solar’s continued growth.
As we’ve discussed here before, the idea of bailing out failing coal and nuclear plants when viable renewable replacements exist is the height of folly. Studies have shown that instead of lowering electricity costs for average Americans, the bailout plan will in fact raise prices. And in the light of such dire news for their constituents? Crickets from the alleged defenders of the common people.
In fact, Perry recently said that he was willing to put his mythical “energy security” concerns – his argument about the need for “baseload power” is so full of holes it might as well be Swiss cheese – above the financial stability of most Americans. It’s mind-boggling that people who spent a decade decrying bank and automobile bailouts as “picking winners and losers” (something they suggest should be decided instead by a 300-year old invisible hand) are now about to spend billions in taxpayer money to rescue energy sources whose time has long passed – and to whom viable alternatives already exist.
Losing Powelson to the water companies deals an enormous blow to the side of reason in the coal and nuclear bailout debate. Here’s hoping the other opponents remain steadfast in opposing this enormous waste of taxpayer money.