Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
Policies to accelerate new power plant connections to the grid devolved into disagreements over renewables at a House hearing.
Why it matters: Republicans at Wednesday's Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing defended President Trump's focus on fossil fuels and nuclear energy, while Democrats decried the exclusion of renewables from his executive orders to unleash energy production.
- Dems said Trump's freezing of energy funding and repeal of tax credits undercut the president's energy dominance mission.
The big picture: Wind, solar, and battery storage constitute some 95% of the projects seeking to connect to the power grid.
Zoom in: Rep. Scott Peters pressed for bipartisan agreement on permitting in this session of Congress for long-haul transmission lines.
- "We're going to see rising prices if we cut out the industries poised to bring most of the projects online in the next two years," testified Tyler O'Connor, a partner at Crowell & Moring LLP and a former E&C Democratic staffer.
- O'Connor said Congress should direct FERC to establish interregional transfer capacity on the grid.
Friction point: Republicans zeroed in on the need to build natural gas infrastructure.
- Solar and wind "have a role to play," but "we must maintain our baseload power that is delivered from fossil fuels, nuclear and hydropower," said Rep. Bob Latta, chair of E&C's energy subcommittee.
- Gary Arnold, business manager for UA Pipefitters Local 208 in Colorado, told lawmakers he wants to "reduce the ability of fringe groups to leverage seemingly endless chokepoints to punish companies for undertaking projects."
What we're watching: Whether transmission will continue to be a partisan issue as power grid demand increases.
