Brian Willis: 202.675.2386, Brian.Willis@sierraclub.org
WASHINGTON, DC - Today, FirstEnergy Solutions (FES), a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corporation, formally requested that Energy Secretary Rick Perry use an extraordinary emergency order (Section 202c of the Federal Power Act) to force electricity customers to prop up all coal and nuclear plants in the PJM electricity market, something senior staff at DOE have unequivocally said they will not do. PJM, which stretches from the East Coast to the Midwest, has record surplus electric generating capacity and has expressed no immediate reliability concerns.
FES’ request is widely seen as another bailout attempt at the expense of everyone in the PJM market area paying an electric bill. The emergency order FES is seeking was intended to be used in only the most extreme circumstances, such as an act of war or severe grid impairment. Its use in this circumstance is clearly illegal. The company is citing a recently released DOE report, which has also been widely panned as biased, as justification for the bailout. Sierra Club is prepared to take legal action if Perry decides to issue any illegal emergency order.
In response, Mary Anne Hitt, Director of Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign, released the following statement:
“After making foolish investments in expensive and dangerous coal and nuclear plants, FirstEnergy Solutions is again demanding that electricity customers bail them out through this outrageously illegal proposal. Ratepayers and regulators have already rejected multiple attempts by the company to bail out these coal and nuclear plants that can no longer compete in the marketplace. If Rick Perry and Trump Administration take the bait and actually issue this ill-advised and illegal emergency order, that means they’re happy to let energy bills and pollution skyrocket, just to bail out a handful of rich coal and nuclear executives.
“FirstEnergy is trying every trick in the book to get Rick Perry and the Trump administration to stop the rapid growth of the clean energy economy, boost their own profits and drag us backward into the past yet again, but they will not succeed. This order willfully ignores the reality of the marketplace, the health of our families, and the letter of the law. If the Trump Administration bows to FirstEnergy and moves forward with this bailout attempt, Sierra Club fully intends to challenge and defeat the administration in court.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.