FERC rejects Energy Secretary’s order to issue financial reprieve to coal companies

In response to the rise in renewable energy and natural gas, Energy Secretary Rick Perry asked FERC to “guarantee financial payments” to struggling coal and nuclear power plants. In a unanimous decision, FERC rejected Perry’s proposal and set forth a 60-day deadline for regional grid operators to report on their ability “to judge ‘naturally occurring and man-made threats’ to their systems.” FERC commissioner Cheryl LaFleur found that Perry’s proposal failed to demonstrate “a threat to grid resilience.” LaFleur accused Perry of attempting to “freeze yesterday's resources in place indefinitely.” With regard to energy resources, LaFleur indicated the focus should be on the transition to the future rather than attempting to “slow[] the transition from the past.”

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/08/rick-perry-energy-coal-nuclear-269263