Fascinating FERC hearing happening, talking about Trump's coal bailout plan: energy.senate.gov/public/index.c… …
tl;dr There is no free market for energy, and the proposal on the table here is for ratepayers to bail out inefficient and carbon-intensive coal plants, against market forces.
tl;dr There is no free market for energy, and the proposal on the table here is for ratepayers to bail out inefficient and carbon-intensive coal plants, against market forces.
This is pretty nakedly a favor to coal operators, and FERC struck down a very similar plan late last year that Bob Murray had a hand in: inthesetimes.com/features/murra…
Here's Joe Manchin literally hot under the collar after Heinrich asks if anyone in the hearing thinks supposed issues with grid reliability represent a threat to national security, the premise for the bailout. No one said yes. 
Capito's framing the bailout as an effort to help coalfield communities dealing with plant and mine closures. Not a new argument, but it's pretty nuts to propose something that would make those communities pay more on monthly bills to prop up dying energy & not federal investment
