By Rory D. Sweeney
PHILADELPHIA — The U.S. Department of Energy’s proposal to save coal and nuclear generating plants is intended to avoid a repeat of Germany’s energy woes, Under Secretary Mark Menezes told a PJM General Session on Wednesday.
Menezes recounted an international energy meeting this spring, where he said Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson listened as German officials recounted economic hardships created after the country renounced nuclear power following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. To mitigate the price spikes, Germany built plants to burn lignite, a lower-quality coal than the traditional anthracite used at most coal-fired facilities.
“They are digging up lignite all over Germany. I have nothing against lignite, but you’ve got to dig up an awful lot of lignite to get the BTU content to produce [power],” Menezes said.
He said German officials told Perry: “If in fact you believe in what you’re saying in [using] ‘all of the above’ [energy resources], please stick to ‘all of the above.’ Try to avoid what happened here.”
FERC Commissioner Robert Powelson, speaking after Menezes, said PJM looms large in his deliberations on DOE’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. The NOPR called for additional compensation for “fuel-secure” power stations that sell electricity into organized energy markets and maintain a 90-day fuel supply.
“I think [the commissioners are] working constructively to put forth a potential solution and really work with our RTOs around problem-solving. … We’ll be able to address this issue in a way that, as I said, respects the balance within the organized markets … continues to deliver the value proposition of these organized markets” and maintains a balanced resource portfolio.
He said he discussed the issue with Perry and guaranteed an eloquent solution.
“I said to him, ‘I took high school calculus,’ and he said, ‘I didn’t.’ But, I said, ‘I hopefully can solve this one.’ … I’ve been in this rodeo long enough. I know how to calibrate and make decisions, and those decisions will be defensible.
“We are now seeing what we never thought we’d see, and even Democratic DOE secretaries have admitted it,” Powelson continued. “We’re seeing nuclear plants close, and we’re seeing them close at a rapid pace. And we’ve got to look at those issues. … I agree with the secretary when he says these markets aren’t pure. … As a state commissioner, I didn’t understand that back then until Mark gave me this homework assignment.
“I sat through plant closure announcements; it’s not a fun thing,” he added. “You’re going to see more state interventions. Get ready.”
Jason Stanek, senior counsel for the House Subcommittee on Energy and a former FERC staffer, said the committee isn’t planning a hearing on the issue, but it’s “looking forward to [FERC’s] thoughtful and deliberative process.”
“We have yet to have a hearing on that topic, and it’s one that has split our members not necessarily by party but by region,” he said. “They recognize that the entire industry is in a state of flux right now.”
Powelson also announced that incoming FERC Chairman Kevin McIntyre would be sworn in Thursday at 10 a.m.
“Tomorrow, we’ll have five” commissioners, he said. He added later that he did not know how that would affect FERC’s decision on the NOPR.
“If I knew, I would tell you. I’m usually very candid,” he said.
McIntyre’s arrival beats — by one day — the 120-day deadline before interim Chairman Neil Chatterjee could start appointing FERC staff.
Menezes also suggested that FERC might miss DOE’s requested deadline for a decision by one day.
“I think we have a big deadline you gave us; Dec. 11?” Powelson said to Menezes.
“I understand FERC may have a different date, maybe the 12th,” Menezes replied.
“The 12th? ’Tis the season,” Powelson responded.