The Biden administration’s aggressive new power plant rules could severely compromise the reliability of the U.S. energy grid, according to Mark Christie, a commissioner on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). In a recent letter to Republican lawmakers, Christie described the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s regulations as potentially “catastrophic” and warned that the nation’s power supply could be at risk if the rules are enforced.
The EPA’s regulations, finalized in April, require coal plants to capture 90% of their emissions by 2032 to continue operating beyond 2039. Certain new natural gas plants would also need to achieve similar emission reductions. Christie argued that these mandates would result in the closure of nearly all coal plants and block the construction of needed gas plants, which could leave the grid unable to meet rising electricity demand.
Christie also raised doubts about the practicality of the carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology central to the EPA’s rules. He noted that current evidence indicates that a 90% carbon capture requirement is neither technically nor commercially viable. These concerns are shared by energy experts who have warned that relying too heavily on renewables without stable backup could lead to blackouts.
The Biden administration’s push for widespread electrification, including electric vehicle mandates and data centers for artificial intelligence, is expected to increase electricity demand. Christie warned that the rapid retirement of reliable fossil fuel capacity, combined with these new demands, could lead to power shortages and grid instability. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) has also warned that many regions are already at elevated risk of power outages during extreme weather.
