Trump repeals Biden power plant rule

The Trump administration has partially repealed a Biden-era regulation limiting carbon emissions from power plants. Officials claim the rule threatened grid reliability, but experts say that is unfounded.

EPA chief attacks prior emissions rules

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said at a September fourteenth event in Houston that prior administrations' rules threatened reliable baseload power and made energy prices skyrocket.

“The overbearing and often-unlawful rules that were sought by prior administrations to destroy reliable baseload power made energy prices skyrocket and threatened many communities and states throughout our country.”

Energy secretary cites wind and sun

Secretary of Energy Chris Wright stated the repeal will ensure reliable electricity generation regardless of whether the wind is blowing or the sun is shining.

What the Biden rule actually required

The two thousand twenty-four power plant rule required reducing greenhouse gas emissions from existing coal plants and new natural gas plants. Coal plants retiring before twenty thirty-two faced no new requirements.

Long-term coal plants needed carbon capture

Coal plants intending to operate long-term would need to prevent ninety percent of their carbon emissions starting in twenty thirty-two, requiring carbon capture and storage technology.

Experts reject grid reliability claims

Energy experts dispute the notion that emissions rules threatened grid reliability.Martin Ross at Duke University said the system has adapted to renewables and there is no reason to think it will not in the future.

“However, the system reliability has not had a problem adapting to renewables in the past, and there's really no particular reason to think it will in the future.”

Grid operators did not request deregulation

Jennifer Danis at New York University said deregulation of power plants is not something grid operators are asking for because they have been planning for the energy transition.

Baseload power is outdated concept

Experts object to using the term baseload power to imply it is inherently reliable or cost-effective. Grid operators today have more options than relying on continuously running fossil fuel plants.

Storms damage distribution wires

The main factor governing electricity reliability is not a lack of power generation but damage to distribution wires, particularly overhead wires in suburbs exposed to storms.

Northeast grids never lacked generation

ISO New England and PJM, the two grid operators in much of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, have never had an outage due to insufficient electricity generation.

Winter Storm Uri showed mixed failures

During the two thousand twenty-one winter storm in Texas, coal and natural gas plants failed when equipment froze, and wind turbines failed when blades iced over. Natural gas was the largest contributor to outages.

Coal plants were already closing

The coal plants kept open by emergency orders in twenty twenty-five had previously decided to close on their own. Grid operators had already analyzed risks and given approval for their closure.

Indiana utility questioned coal plant value

A utility in Indiana told the Department of Energy that a coal plant dispatched during Winter Storm Fern ran at less than half capacity and suffered systemic equipment failures, demonstrating ongoing unreliability.

Battery storage is growing rapidly

U.S. capacity to store energy using batteries grew by seventy percent each year from twenty twenty-three through twenty twenty-five, with continued growth in twenty twenty-six, supporting grid reliability.

Renewables plus storage are reliable

McKenna Peplinski at Resources for the Future said renewables combined with storage become a key answer in meeting grid demands. Solar plus storage is very reliable, according to experts.

Trump policies will raise electricity prices

While the power plant rule repeal may lower prices slightly, the Trump administration's One Big Beautiful Bill Act of twenty twenty-five and other policies are expected to increase electricity prices overall.

EPA estimates modest price savings

The EPA found the power plant rule repeal would lower retail electricity prices by zero point seven percent by twenty thirty but five point eight percent by twenty thirty-five, with overall savings of two point…

Emissions damages dwarf price savings

Resources for the Future estimated the rollback would cause one point seven trillion dollars in damages from increased greenhouse gas emissions. Peplinski said the EPA misrepresented the outcome by ignoring these harms.

“Painting the cost savings as the whole picture is really misrepresenting what the outcome of this rollback will be.”

Future emissions cuts will cost more

A September fifteenth analysis from Duke University found that system cost savings from rolling back regulations will be more than canceled out by increased costs of reaching emissions goals on a tighter timeframe.

“Basically, any time you have a sudden transition, it's going to be more expensive than a gradual transition.”