Subcommittee Democrats Highlight Recent FERC Regulations Safeguarding U.S. Power Grid and Facilitating Transition to Clean Energy

Washington, D.C. (March 12, 2024)—Rep. Cori Bush, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs, led Subcommittee Democrats in examining the efforts of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Biden-Harris Administration to promote the stability and security of the U.S. power grid.   

“One other fundamental step to mitigating the climate crisis is building a clean and renewable power grid.  In the last Congress, Democrats made significant progress toward environmental justice and a sustainable power grid, including passing the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).  That IRA is the largest investment in green energy in American history.  Yet, we still have much more work to do.  Congress must support federal regulators who step up and do their part to expand clean, affordable, and safe energy transmission, including FERC.  The people of St. Louis sent me here to make sure they had clean and affordable energy that wasn’t making them sick.  I want to work with regulators to make that a reality,” said Ranking Member Bush in her opening statement.  

The hearing included testimony from Minority witness Jonathon Monken, Principal, Converge Strategies, James P. Danly, former Commissioner of FERC; and Travis Fisher, Director of Energy and Environmental Policy Studies, Cato Institute.

Subcommittee Democrats touted recent FERC regulations that are preparing the U.S. power grid for a faster, more reliable transition to clean energy.

• Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton said, “In July 2023, [FERC] issued a final rule to more quickly integrate facilities generating renewable energy into the U.S. electric grid system.  This effort to expedite power sources into the grid includes wind and solar power sources.  This rule is a long time coming and aims to help mitigate a nationwide backlog of clean energy suppliers.”  In response, Mr. Monken explained that FERC’s rule “makes it easier for those types of resources to come online” and has had “a tremendous impact on the populations that they ultimately serve.”  He added that “being able to clear some of these roadblocks that allow more of these resources to enter into the system really opens up these additional opportunities to make sure that there is adequate energy to meet everybody’s needs.”

• Mr. Monken testified that, “Recognizing [outages] disproportionately affect minority communities that do not have the financial wherewithal or the ability to avert the worst case impacts of those particular disaster, so it’s something that we really need to address through a deliberate action towards energy equity.  Recognizing that the ability to pay is not the prerequisite for the ability to receive the reliable power that you need.”

• In response to a question from Rep. Melanie Stansbury about federal investments in clean energy, Mr. Monken explained, “economic stability and predictability is essential.  We’ve seen an incredible amount of investment in response to the amount of money that's been made available by the federal government so that people have more predictability about this potential success of their investments.” 

• In her closing statement, Ranking Member Cori Bush stated: “Currently, there are two terawatts of power sitting in a bureaucratic queue — more than half of the current power in use in the entire United States — just waiting to join the power grid.  Roughly 95% of that new power has no emissions.  The new FERC rules should tackle that backlog.  But we need to incentivize clean energy entrepreneurs to take prudent risk on these new projects, so we need to let them know that we are ready for their contribution.” 

Subcommittee Democrats underscored how a secure and resilient national power grid safeguards domestic energy infrastructure against foreign attacks.   

• Rep. Shontel Brown stated: “This is one topic where we can all agree.  Our power grids are critical to the nation.  Unfortunately, the grid is under threat from multiple directions. Climate change is straining our aging grid and stressing the system during increasing heat, cold, and other extreme weather systems.  In the worst-case scenario, grid failures can mean no air conditioning during a heatwave, no lights during late night thunderstorm or a skyrocketing heat bill in the winter.  As a member of the Select Committee on Strategic Competition with the Chinese Communist Party, I have also heard firsthand about the CCP’s hacks of our electric grids and the danger it poses on our national security.” 

• Mr. Monken testified that, “The issue of grid resilience must be understood as an issue of national security.  Just as we would not leave the defense of our country to chance, the energy system that underpins our collective economic and reliability needs must be supported through targeted planning, investment, and policy.” 

Subcommittee Democrats highlighted the pressing threat domestic extremists pose to the safety and security of the U.S. power grid.   

• In her opening statement, Ranking Member Cori Bush stated: “We also cannot ignore the actions of domestic extremists, including white nationalists and white supremacists, who have violently attacked electrical grids to stoke chaos and fear.  In 2022 alone, DOE reported 163 ‘electric emergency incidents and disturbances,’ including physical attacks—a 71% increase from 2021.  In December 2022, a hate group attacked the power grid in North Carolina, leaving 45,000 people without electricity, shutting down a school for five days, and leading to one person’s death.” 

• In response to a question from Ranking Member Cori Bush, Mr. Monken testified that, “Having a clear understanding of what the most effective mitigation strategies really are, from a physical security standpoint, I think is hugely important.  Then, placing a significant priority on how those projects are ultimately introduced, reviewed for their just and reasonable costs, and then ultimately approved, to make sure that those facilities are secure enough that we have confidence that they will deliver that reliable power that people need.” 

• Rep. Brown stated: “The power grid has become a new target for domestic extremists attempting to destabilize our country and foster fear in chaos, particularly in the Black community.  This is absolutely unacceptable, and I applaud the Department of Justice for holding these bad actors accountable.” 

###