Recently, I announced upcoming legislation that will hold the utilities accountable for using West Virginia coal in their coal fired plants. This will bring back jobs, drive economic prosperity to southern West Virginia and stabilize rates throughout the state.
While West Virginians have seen rate increases that have spiked out of control, MetroNews is very quick to take a strong stand in favor of the Green New Deal policies and big utilities.
MetroNews claims our bill to require coal-fired plants to run at least 69 percent of the time is “the wrong way” to protect West Virginians. That shows how out of touch they are. The Public Service Commission recommends that same standard to keep rates stable and the lights on. Yet, we’re paying for these plants even when they sit idle. Every time output drops, we lose jobs, local revenue, and affordable power.
They call the bill a “market distortion,” but the real distortion is the system we have now. It is a system built for big utilities and Green New Deal subsidies paid by taxpayers.
Companies keep profits even when they don’t produce power, while families pay more each month. Running our reliable coal and natural gas plants isn’t politics, it’s accountability and common sense.
PJM and MetroNews hide behind the idea of “cheap” energy, but that so-called cheap power is subsidized with billions of taxpayer dollars. We’re paying twice: Once for renewables that can’t run full-time; and, again for coal plants forced to sit silent. That’s not competition, that’s manipulation.
Our bill simply says if you want higher rates, run the plants West Virginians already paid for. If not, stop passing the cost to families and seniors.
And as for FERC or federal authority, that’s another scare tactic. States absolutely have the right to set reliability and capacity standards for the utilities they regulate. West Virginia shouldn’t bow to unelected bureaucrats in Washington when it comes to protecting our own energy future.
MetroNews thinks they’re defending markets they’re really defending billion-dollar utility companies and the Green New Deal. We’re defending West Virginians.
When the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine, it’s our coal and natural gas that keep this country running.
Senator Brian Helton (R-Fayette) represents the Ninth Senatorial District, which includes Raleigh and Wyoming counties and part of Fayette County. He serves as a member of the Senate Energy, Industry and Mining Committee.
