In releasing his 4th Federal Fumbles edition this week, Oklahoma U.S. Sen. James Lankford was critical of protecting nuclear and coal generators that are at risk of closure.
“Coal and nuclear are great fuel sources, but the decision to use them should be based on the market, not the mandate,” stated the Senator in the newly-released report.
The Senator politely was critical of President Trump who wants to “compel grid operators to purchase electricity from nuclear and coal generators that are at risk of closure.” But he said power purchases should be made at the lowest cost to provide value for ratepayers.
Sen. Lankford cited the improved Mustang Power Plant outside Oklahoma City as an example as it provides “innovative, affordable, and reliable power from primarily natural gas—and some solar—to ratepayers throughout our state. Mandating that coal and nuclear fuels be added to the power pool undermines this innovative facility which was driven by market forces to provide Oklahomans with clean, cheap and reliable power.”
The Senator went on in his report to provide a solution, adding, “We should stop providing incentives and bailouts for select technologies. We should focus on increasing delegated authority directly to states in lieu of burdensome federal regulations.”
He also suggested the federal government should grant permits with timeliness and predictability in mind because producing electrical power takes long-term planning.
Read his entire comments about “Coal and Nuclear” by clicking here.
