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Reality of 32,000 MW/Year of New Generation Demand. Solution: Build New Coal Plants Now!

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Bulk Power Supply & Primary Energy:

The term BULK POWER means just that, Bulk Power in hundreds and thousands of Megawatts. America needs huge Bulk Power generation additions of about 30,000 MW per year, not small scale R&D projects of variable generation or unproven new SMRs. Perhaps some time in the future renewables and new nuclear will be viable and competitive. However for now, we need 100-800 GW of new electricity generation to replace the more than 200 GW of reliable coal plants that were either shut down or planned for shut down soon. Satisfying the growing electricity demand of the future requires lots (Lots= 30,000 MW each year) of new generation capable of 24/7 generation.

When I joined CP&L in 1973 I entered a door emblazoned with a sign: Bulk Power Supply. Then I thought the name odd and frankly, I have not seen it since. However behind that door were the men and women that managed the generation assets of CP&L which at the time was only about 5,000 MW. The Bulk Power Supply came from seven fossil plants. Those plants were; Cape Fear, Weatherspooon, H.F. Lee, Sutton, Roxboro, Asheville and Robinson, including (1973) one lone nuclear (H.B. Robinson #2) and some small hydroelectric plants in the western corner of N.C. Bulk Power Supply was measured in Megawatts. Many of those coal units (CP&L has been absorbed into Duke Energy of the Carolinas) have been shut down. Most of them have been demolished as shown on the video of the Sutton plant implosion.

These coal plants should have been replaced with new coal generation plants of higher efficiency and even better flue gas cleaning. America is paying a price which will rise further, for the loss of this vital generation capacity without replacing it in kind.

The Bulk Power Supply of America needs to grow by about 800 GW by 2050. Increasing the Bulk Power Supply is a huge challenge which has been vastly underestimated. Do the math. Building new 800,000 MW of capacity in 25 years is 32,000 MW per year of new dispatchable, reliable and affordable new capacity.

Unfortunately, I think many Utilities and government officials have under-estimated the enormity of building 800 GW of new power generation. I tried to lay out my perspective in a presentation to the Coal Institute in July. 800 GW of new generation capacity is equivalent to building over 325 coal plants the size of Duke Energy’s Roxboro Coal Plant (2462 MW) or building 360 new nuclear units such as Southern Company’s Vogtle Units # 3 & 4. (2200 MW)

How About the Primary Energy to Generate 800 GW of New Electricity Generation?

As mentioned above, many experienced authors of energy and electricity generation do not dwell on the importance of primary energy, so I will. Primary energy is not magic and it is not free as the proponents for wind and solar suggest.

The results are now in for “the Global Science Project” of experimentation with wind and solar aka “The Green New Deal”. One simply has to observe the actual electricity prices in Germany, Hawaii, Spain, California, the UK and Scandinavia to know that wind and solar cost more, are not reliable and of course they are not dispatchable.

Primary Energy

Electricity is secondary energy, it must be produced from Primary energy. In the vernacular of physics one Kilowatt hour of electricity is equivalent to 3,412.6 BTUs of thermal energy. Thermal energy has proven to be the most reliable, dispatchable and affordable. The reporting of Total Energy use by countries and the world is usually done in BTUs for U.S. customary units or in Exajoules in International units. The total world, according to the IEA has used right at 600 Exajoules (rounded from 592) and is shown below in a graphic from the Visual Capitalist. The conversion of EJ to Quadrillion BTU is EJ x 0.9478=QBTU. Example 592 EJ x 0.9478= 562 Quadrillion BTU.

The U.S. uses almost one fifth of the world’s primary energy. A reminder that economic prosperity is driven by energy. America is still the world’s #1 economy and therefore it should not be a surprise that we use almost a fifth of the world’s total primary energy consumption. This is Primary energy used not only for electricity generation but also for transportation, Industrial production, heating, cooking and commercial uses. Remember the phrase “Electrify Everything?”

The First Prerequisite to a thriving economy is that there must be available, reliable and affordable Primary energy to generate that electricity.

America Uses about 100 Quadrillion BTUs Annually of Primary Energy

The LLNL Sankey Diagram shown below details the Primary Energy flows from sources to consumption. The U.S. has used right at 100 Quadrillion BTUs for the last 20 years. A little more than a third of total primary energy is used for electricity generation. (37.7%)

The chart above is from 2022. The one below from 2009. I used this chart in a presentation to the ASME in 2011 to attempt to impress the members with the importance of coal. At the time, America was using coal for about 45% of our electricity generation and the primary energy used to generate that power was about 20 Quadrillion BTUs of coal fuel. As can be seen from the two charts, natural gas increased about 10 Quads and coal decreased a similar amount. Basically, substituting natural gas for coal power production.

Self Sabotaging of the U.S. Bulk Power Supply

Since President Obama’s two term escalated war on coal over 50% of America’s reliable, affordable, Dispatchable and energy secure power generation has been shut down. I have called this self-sabotage. Mostly as a result of Federal Regulations, especially the politically inspired (not based on human health or science) EPA Endangerment Finding. But also due to NGOs and other voices working very effectively to demonize coal power. America had the most reliable, least expensive electricity supply in 2010 and the forces against coal power have steadily weakened our energy security, reliability and affordability. Electricity prices are climbing and will continue to do so as more unreliable, variable generation is forced onto the Grid, and backed up by natural gas fuel. Low prices of natural gas are not guaranteed into the future and fuel is the major cost component for thermal power generation. If the fuel cost doubles, so does the production cost of electricity.

The chart below from the IEEFA shows the path of coal free power generation. Some states and countries are ahead of my state of S.C. and the electricity costs in those states that have shut down their coal plants has escalated sharply. Germany has suffered from significant De-Industrialization as a result of forcing wind and solar on the nation. If America continues the path set by Net-Zero Carbon advocates, we all will join Hawaii, California, Spain, Germany, the UK, Massachusetts and Connecticut with higher cost power and possible de-industrialization.

Thanks to President Trump and Chris Wright, America’s energy regulatory policy is somewhat corrected. However, some states, even S.C. still have laws on the books to exit coal. I feel this is energy suicide. Coal is a national treasure that should be utilized. In fact, in my opinion, it is the best and only viable choice of primary energy to provide the needed electricity generation between now and 2050. A coal plant should be able to be built in four years. We have done it before and can do it again!

The Future 2025-2050

Electricity generation capacity will need to increase dramatically over the next 25 years. The projected growth has been well documented by many others including Stephen Heins, Thomas J. Shepstone, Jr., the ICF, NEMA and others. What is needed is an enormous amount of new, Dispatchable, reliable and affordable Bulk Power. About 800,000 MW of new Bulk Power. he workforce challenge is a topic to cover on another day.In my analysis, nuclear will play an important part. So will natural gas. However, there are three limits to just how much nuclear and natural gas can supply. These three constraints are Supply-Chain, pipelines and achieving a Balanced generation portfolio. The nuclear supply chain limits have been discussed before and although proven and an excellent clean choice, nuclear seems decades away before the needed capacity can be built. For example, it took America over 30 years (1957-1987) to design and build the existing nuclear fleet of about 97,000 MW of capacity. We now need eight times the nuclear fleet that was built over 30 years. Keep in mind, the legacy nuclear units built 1957-1987 were constructed when the Supply-Chain was well established, there were thousands of trained and experienced engineers at B&W, Combustion-Engineering and Westinghouse and craftsmen were much more abundant in the workforce. Many experienced engineers and craftsmen are now retired. Rebuilding the workforce is a topic for another day.

“Just in Time” Primary Energy

Today about 45% of the U.S. electricity generation at peak times is provided by natural gas through “just in time” pipelines. Not only is the Supply-Chain of new gas turbine plants limited but so are the pipelines and fuel supply. In my analysis, we already have too much dependence on pipeline provided natural gas. Remember the Colonial Pipeline Hack of 2021? Coal plants have the inherent advantage of being capable of storing several months of fuel on site.

The best choice for a Balanced Portfolio then, in my analysis is to build new coal plants. In Dick Storm’s Perfect World of Power Generation, I would like to see a Balanced generation portfolio of 30% coal, nuclear, gas, with 10% renewables. Illustration from the Coal Institute presentation.

Conclusion

The policy planners and utilities have gravely underestimated the growth of electricity Demand and now are catching up by using the “Easy Button” of purchasing gas turbines for backup power for wind and solar. Most of the capital being invested in new generation in this calendar year is for solar, wind and BESS (Battery Electricity Storage). This is a mistake that will cost Americans dearly.

President Trump, Chris Wright and Lee Zeldin have done the best they can to correct decades of poor flawed planning by the EPA and Congress with the Inflation Recovery Act version of the New Green Deal. However, many states and large Utilities still remain on a foolish path toward Net-Zero Carbon. For example, Here are five articles on U.S. and South Carolina Energy Policies:

  1. SWAMP People and Organizations Against Making America Great, Foreign and Domestic https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/08/07/swamp-people-and-organizations-against-making-america-great-foreign-domestic/
  2. Swamp Opposition to President Trump’s America First Agenda, Published by Thomas J. Shepstone on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/fighting-the-swamp-and-our-enemies?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  3. Some Red States Still Embrace the Green New deal, Including the Usually Conservative State of S.C. Sept. 8, 2025:    https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/09/08/some-red-states-still-embrace-the-green-new-deal-including-usually-conservative-south-carolina/
  4. FIVE REASONS TO BUILD NEW COAL PLANTS NOW! COAL SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS A CRITICAL FUEL TO POWER AMERICA’S FUTURE, SEPT. 24, 2025:  HTTPS://DICKSTORMPROBIZBLOG.ORG/2025/09/24/FIVE-REASONS-TO-BUILD-NEW-COAL-PLANTS-NOW-COAL-SHOULD-BE-INCLUDED-AS-A-CRITICAL-FUEL-TO-POWER-AMERICAS-FUTURE/
  5. Ten Hard Truths of Electricity Generation in South Carolina, the Life-Blood of the Economy, Oct. 8, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/10/08/ten-hard-truths-of-s-c-electricity-the-lifeblood-of-the-economy/

America needs to begin building new Dispatchable, affordable and proven reliable Bulk Power Generation as soon as possible. As I see it, the best source of the needed primary energy to satisfy the demand is America’s own treasure of coal reserves. Think about the needed capacity in terms of 32,000 MW per year for 25 years. That my friends is a heavy lift. As a country we must unite behind President Trump to get this done…Wake up Americans!

Yours very truly,

Dick Storm, October 22, 2025

References and Further Reading:

  1. The Coal Institute Presentation by Dick Storm, July 2025: http://thecoalinstitute.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Dick%20Storm%20Presentation%20July%202025.pdf
  2. Institute for Energy, Economic and Financial Analysis. on Coal Plant retirements since 2011: https://ieefa.org/resources/us-track-close-half-coal-capacity-2026
  3. Duke Energy Carolinas, Demolition video of Sutton Unit #3, Nov. 2016: https://youtu.be/miSapiaJTpM
  4. The Coal Institute, Dick Storm presentation, July 2025: http://www.thecoalinstitute.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Dick%20Storm%20Presentation%20July%202025.pdf
  5. Dr. John Constable on the Importance of Energy, You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scYlWiunJo4
  6. The Ancestry of Energy by Pandreco: https://open.substack.com/pub/pandreco/p/the-ancestry-of-energy?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false  
  7. WSJ-Rahm Emanuel Opinion, Sept 17, 2025: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/rising-electricity-price-thank-trump-2270cf1f?mod=Searchresults&pos=1&page=1
  8. WSJ counter point to Rahm Emanuel OpEd, Sept. 21, 2025: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/big-electric-bill-thank-the-energy-subsidies-emanuel-trump-50d1dcd8?mod=opinion_more_article_pos32
  9. Isaac Orr and Mitch Rolling on wind, solar and gas cause electricity prices to rise: https://open.substack.com/pub/energybadboys/p/rising-natural-gas-costs-make-wind?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  10. Devil’s Algorithm and Climate Matrix: https://open.substack.com/pub/tilakdoshi/p/the-devils-algorithm-unplugging-from?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  11. Energy Charts on Germany: https://www.energy-charts.info/charts/energy_pie/chart.htm?l=en&c=DE
  12. Ember Charts and Energy Info on worldwide energy use: https://ember-energy.org/data/electricity-data-explorer/?data=generation https://ember-energy.org/data/electricity-data-explorer/?data=generation&entity=United+States
  13. Tom Shepstone Sub-Stack on Massachusetts high electric rates: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/political-reality-descends-upon-massachusetts?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  14. Tom Shepstone on POSIGEN Failure in PA, Sept. 8, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/posigen-provides-yet-another-example?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  15. Tom Shepstone on Wind and Solar after OBBB, Sept. 9, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/are-the-days-of-solar-stupidity-coming?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  16. Energy Bad Boys on Electricity Rates Rising due to Renewables, yet, Trump is blamed: https://open.substack.com/pub/energybadboys/p/the-number-one-reason-trumps-policies?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  17. HeatMap Newsletter: https://heatmap.news/politics/electricity-price-politics#
  18. POWER, Sept. 2025 on cost of solar and wind: https://www.powermag.com/solar-and-winds-hidden-price-tag-why-cost-isnt-the-whole-story/
  19. Fraser Institute on solar and wind cost: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/commentary/solar-and-wind-power-make-electricity-more-expensive-thats-a-fact
  20. Daily Caller, Sept. 2025: https://ijr.com/frank-lasee-how-wind-and-solar-are-quietly-inflating-electricity-bills/
  21. Forbes, Yes, Wind and Solar do Increase Electricity Prices: https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelshellenberger/2018/04/25/yes-solar-and-wind-really-do-increase-electricity-prices-and-for-inherently-physical-reasons/
  22. America’s Coal: https://americascoal.substack.com/p/estimating-the-real-cost-of-electricity
  23. IER on cost of solar and wind: https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/the-grid/rising-bills-bad-blame-whats-really-driving-electricity-prices/
  24. Energy Policy Research Chart of world electricity prices 2024. Excellent: https://eprinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/COW2024-34-USAndEuropeanHouseholdElectricityPrices.pdf
  25. EPI Charts: https://eprinc.org/chart-of-the-week/?gf_protect_submission=1
  26. Inside Climate, Great State by State chart: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/which-states-getting-hit-hardest-electricity-price-qybsc/
  27. EIA FERC Electricity and Energy Data, Sept. 2025:  https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/current_month/september2025.pdf
  28. Inside Climate News: https://insideclimatenews.org/tags/inside-clean-energy/
  29. Excellent Paper on the Cost of Wind and Solar across the World, Oct. 5, 2025:  https://www.cis.org.au/publication/the-renewable-energy-honeymoon-starting-is-easy-the-rest-is-hard/
  30. Threats to the Electric Grid, Update, May 25, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/15/threats-to-the-grid-electricity-reliability/
  31. Colonial Pipeline Hack, 2021: https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/news/attack-colonial-pipeline-what-weve-learned-what-weve-done-over-past-two-years
  32. Mitch Rolling on Wind and Solar, Oct. 18, 2025: https://energybadboys.substack.com/p/more-is-less-with-wind-and-solar
  33. Watts Up With That, Oct 2$, 2025, What Green Transition? Coal Use Continues to Rise: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/10/24/green-transition-coal-use-hits-record-high/
  34. American Public Power on Electricity Growth to 2050: https://www.publicpower.org/periodical/article/study-sees-dramatic-rise-us-power-demand-2050
#Energyreality, Coal Power, economic prosperity and energy, Energy, Electricity, Economic Prosperity and Environmental Protection, Fossil Fuels are Important, Politics & Management

Ten Hard Truths of S.C. Electricity-The Lifeblood of the Economy

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There are a number of states that are on a path to higher electricity bills and less reliability, including S.C. Why? Because the S.C. Governor and the Legislature are still stuck on Net Zero Carbon. I thought it might be informative to list 10 unpopular truths:

Hard Truths that Apply to S.C. as Well as All Other U.S. States

  •  New nuclear plants will take decades to be built to replace existing coal and gas units
  • Electricity generation for Dispatchable Electricity Generation capacity takes years to build
  • Most of our electricity today comes from power plants that are more than 30 years old. S.C. examples: The Wateree coal plant began operation in 1970, Duke Energy’s Oconee nuclear plant, the largest in South Carolina, first unit started up in 1973, and the first Santee-Cooper Cross Unit began operation in 1984 and Winyah 1975.
  • The major production cost component of electricity generation for Thermal Power Plants is fuel
  • The proven lowest production cost of electricity is from coal, nuclear and gas
  • Coal prices have remained stable for decades
  • Gas prices are volatile and can fluctuate with market changes. Low gas prices into the future are not guaranteed
  • Wind, Solar, and Battery storage are higher-cost producers of Bulk Power. Forget the “Free Fuel Myth of Wind and Solar”. All states and countries that have taken the S.C. Net-Zero Carbon path now have high-cost electricity
  • South Carolina is on a similar primary energy path as Germany was fifteen years ago
  • It takes decades for the impact of energy policies to be felt by consumers and industry

Here is a presentation to the Beaufort Federation of Republican Men, which summarizes the S.C. path to higher cost electricity.

Bulk Power Supply and Demand Projections to 2052

The Supply/Demand Chart of Santee-Cooper is shown below. Note the plan to reduce coal power generation and replace it with gas, purchased power and variable renewables.

A Better Path: Build New Coal Plants

The low country of South Carolina has been well served by Santee-Cooper since 1934. Also known as South Carolina Public Service Authority. SCPSA is state owned and controlled.

Like TVA, Santee-Cooper began with hydroelectric generation and as with TVA, the electricity demand rapidly increased to loads far in excess of the available hydroelectric capacity. Thus coal plants were built and for most of the last 80 years most of the electricity generation has been from coal fuel. This continues to be the case. The screenshot below is the electricity generation the week of December 2, 2024. The primary energy provided for the power production was 77% coal fuel at this time and it will be needed again this coming winter.

To this day most of the Santee-Cooper installed power generation capacity is coal power plants. Here is a list of their generating assets. Over 60% are dispatchable and proven to be affordable coal power. Electricity costs in our region has been amongst the lowest in the U.S. for decades. Thanks to coal fuel. As the transition to more renewables and more backup natural gas is made, the cost of Bulk Power generation will increase as it has in Germany, the UK, Hawaii, CT, MA, NJ and other states that are ahead of S.C. in transitioning from coal to more renewable energy. The so called “Energy Transition” is the root cause of increasing electric rates. Hawaii as a poster child example of a transition to expensive “Green New Deal” renewables.

What About Industry?

About a third of S.C. electricity is used by industry. This is important for U.S. security, competitiveness and for the jobs industry provides. For the low country of S.C. there are at least two very energy intensive industries; Century Aluminum and Nucor Steel. Both of these industries use hundreds of Megawatts for steel and aluminum production. The main reason the plants were built in S.C. was because of reasonable cost electricity provided by Santee-Cooper. The Century Aluminum plant at full capacity will use over 400 MW and each Nucor plant about 175 MW. These two companies alone represent 24/7 Demand that is about a quarter of the huge Cross Generating Station’s capacity.

Can We Learn From the Experiences of Germany, the UK, California, Hawaii, Connecticut and New Jersey?

Each of these states & countries have been working toward a transition away from coal and toward renewables. In each case the electric rates have escalated to the point that they have caused industries to shut down and harmed the industrial capacity of the countries or states. Electricity is the LifeBlood of an economy. Ask a knowledgeable German citizen about the results of their energy transition.

The high German electricity rates have caused many very well run and established companies to shut down and/or relocate manufacturing into other countries. Three examples are BASF, Krupp Steel and VW

The Optimum Future Electricity Generation Capacity

A Balanced generation portfolio is optimum as a hedge against fuel cost escalation, security of generation and reliability of generation. In my experience and based on the well documented experiences of other states and countries, a balanced generation portfolio of no more than 20% renewables with the balance of generation from dispatchable sources such as nuclear, gas and coal, is best. Plenty of references are listed below (also the chart above) which show the results of over-reliance on windmills solar and battery backup or BESS (Battery Electricity Storage and Supply).

Conclusions

The main point I wish to make here is that Bulk Power, that is huge amounts of electricity generation from large power plants take years, even decades to replace or to use the word more common today, Transition. Most of the vital 24/7 electricity supply to S.C. is provided by aging power plants. Examples, Oconee about 53 years, Wateree about 55, Winyah 50 and Cross about 40 years old.

As reliable, affordable and dispatchable coal plants are shut down the electric production cost will increase and along with the rising production cost, eventually increased rates.

Building new coal plants as once was planned at the Pee Dee plant site, was and still is a good idea. So is building more nuclear plants but that takes time.

My suggestion for the S.C. Legislature is to remove the Net-Zero Carbon laws that are on the books and to provide ample funds for maintenance of the existing coal plants serving S.C. so well.

Respectfully yours,

Dick Storm, October 8, 2025

References and info for further Research

  1. Santee-Cooper Celebrates 90 Years: https://www.postandcourier.com/kingstree/business/santee-cooper-celebrates-90-years/article_07d4c756-f1e2-11ee-a2fd-5b7595de1823.html
  2. Palmetto Promise, 2019 article on Century Aluminum and Electricity Provided by Santee-Cooper: https://palmettopromise.org/tale-of-the-century/
  3. Century Aluminum to Return to 100% Capacity with new PPA, Oct. 7, 2025: https://www.alcircle.com/news/century-aluminums-mt-holly-smelter-set-to-return-to-full-capacity-by-2026-115747
  4. Dick Storm presentation, October 2025 to Beaufort Federation of Republican Men: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7379119520445071360?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAI4KQUBYW-cbQRlA1kgj9X3llGi7u6KNnQ
  5. America uses about 100 Quadrillion BTUs annually: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/16/back-to-basics-the-u-s-needs-100-quadrillion-btus-year-of-primary-energy/  
  6. Each citizen uses approx., 300 million BTUs annually https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/04/american-dream-100-quadrillion-btus/
    https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/08/22/energy-life-that-is-life-as-we-enjoy-it/
  7. EIA https://www.eia.gov/state/print.php?sid=SC
  8. Electric generation capacity of Dominion and Santee-Cooper about 12,000 MW of Bulk Power Capacity: https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/hjyEG/5/  Duke Energy about 6600MW
  9. Over 50% of S.C. total electricity generation is by nuclear power. 6 of the 7 nuclear units in S.C. are owned by Duke Energy
    Beaufort and Jasper counties are served by Palmetto Electric for transmission and Distribution of electricity https://www.palmetto.coop/sites/default/files/documents/Integrated-Resource-Plan.pdf
  10. Santee-Cooper 2025 updated IRP (Integrated Resource Plan that outlines Bulk Power sources for the future): https://www.santeecooper.com/About/Integrated-Resource-Plan/presentations/Santee-Cooper-2025-IRP-Update.pdf
  11. Dominion South Carolina updated 2025 IRP: https://www.dominionenergy.com/-/media/content/about/our-company/irp/pdfs/desc-integrated-resource-plan-2025.pdf
    https://south-carolina-energy-office-1-1-scors-eo.hub.arcgis.com/pages/electricity-data
  12. The S.C. Legislature has laws on the books to exit coal power and depend on gas, nuclear, solar, wind and Battery backup systems (BESS). All of which are higher cost generation than coal. https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/3309.htm
  13. The decision to cancel the Pee Dee Coal Plant in 2009  and the failure of SCE&G to complete Units 2 & 3 at the Summer Nuclear Plant will result in increased electricity costs for all of Palmetto Electric customers: https://www.powermag.com/south-carolinas-santee-cooper-shelves-2-billion-coal-plant-project/
  14. Wind, solar and BESS systems need to be backed up by Dispatchable generation. Usually that backup (and planned for S.C) is natural gas fueled generating plants. Therefore, one reason electricity costs are higher with solar and wind is because two to four times the generation capacity is needed over a coal or nuclear plant. Solar and wind are intermittent generators dependent on nature. Solar averages about 6 hours per day of generation.
  15. How Can a 6,000 MW Utility that will be a 9,000MW Utility in 2050, become Net-Zero Carbon? April 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/04/27/how-can-a-6000-mw-regional-utility-in-2030-which-likely-will-be-a-9000-mw-utility-in-2050-achieve-net-zero-carbon/
  16. Providing a Sustainable Million BTUs per Day/Person, May 17,  2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/05/17/providing-a-sustainable-million-btus-per-day-per-person-by-fuel-source/
  17. Duke Energy to keep coal units running, by Stephen Heins, Sept. 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/stephenheins/p/headline-duke-energy-hoping-to-keep?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  18. Reuters on Duke Energy announcing the consideration of new nuclear and extending life of coal plants, Sept. 2025: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/duke-energy-considers-nuclear-reactors-coal-extensions-carolinas-energy-plan-2025-10-01/
  19. A Short History of Power Generation, Part 1, 1850-1955, January 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/01/14/a-short-history-of-energy-electricity-and-how-our-high-quality-of-living-came-to-be-high-human-development-index-part-1-1850-1955/
  20. A Short History of Power Generation, Part 2:  https://wp.me/p5DzAo-k6
  21. A Short History of Power Generation, Part 3: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-ll
  22. A Short History of Power Generation, Part 4: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-n4
  23. “The War on Carbon, How it Came to Be”, Oct. 16, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/10/16/the-war-on-carbon-how-it-came-to-be/
  24. Energy and Economic Prosperity, Jan. 11, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/01/03/energy-and-economic-prosperity/
  25. Energy and World Peace, April, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/04/05/energy-world-peace/
  26. Comparison of China and U.S. Energy Policies: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/01/18/comparison-of-china-energy-electricity-generation-with-u-s-a/
  27. Energy and Economic Prosperity Nov.  2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/11/18/energy-and-economic-prosperity-2/
  28. Without New Thinking on Nuclear Power, Anti-Carbon Policy Can’t Succeed, Nov. 11, 2021 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/11/13/without-new-thinking-on-nuclear-power-anti-carbon-climate-policy-cant-succeed/
  29. The Rise and Fall and Rise Again  of Nations and the  Realities of Energy: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/08/15/the-rise-fall-and-rise-again-of-nations-and-the-realities-of-energy/
  30. Pillars of Modern Civilization, Ammonia, Food, Steel, Concrete, Plastics, Aluminum, July 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/25/pillars-of-modern-civilization-all-dependent-on-energy/
  31. Dick Storm Blog post, “Wake Up Americans!” Sept. 21, 2023:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/09/20/please-wake-up-america-your-energy-and-electricity-generation-reliability-are-at-risk/
  32. THE ERA OF RELIABLE, AFFORDABLE, ENERGY AND ELECTRICITY GENERATION: PART 1
    https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/10/04/the-era-of-reliable-affordable-energy-and-electricity-generation-part-1/
  33. The Green Energy Crisis is Here, Part 1, Sept. 17, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/29/the-green-energy-crisis-is-here-part-1/
  34. The Green Energy Crisis, Part 2, “Meet Some of the People that Caused it”,  June 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/06/14/green-energy-crisis-part-2-meet-the-policy-makers-that-caused-it/
  35. Comparison of China and U.S. Energy Policies: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/01/18/comparison-of-china-energy-electricity-generation-with-u-s-a/
  36. The Green Energy Crisis, Part 3, June 26, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/06/26/green-energy-crisis-part-3-public-energy-education-is-needed-each-person-in-the-u-s-uses-about-315-million-btus-of-primary-energy-year-this-is-not-practical-or-even-possible-to-replace-with-win/
  37. German Household electricity prices 2009-2024: https://countryeconomy.com/energy-and-environment/electricity-price-household/germany
  38. DW News, Germany YouTube on Germany’s dependence on Russian Gas and Oil: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/p4?projector=1
  39. Another YouTube video of German dependence on Russian Gas: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/p4?projector=1
  40. WSJ Jan. 2024 on relationship of Security of EU Economy, Russian gas and China: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/welcome-warily-the-eu-getting-serious-on-china-economic-security-net-zero-deindustrialization-de292bf1?st=JjwzXh&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalinkc
  41. “Update on Hawaii’s Glimpse of the Future of the Green New Deal” March 20, 2024:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/20/hawaii-a-glimpse-into-the-future-of-the-green-new-deal-aka-inflation-reduction-act-here-is-an-update/
  42. The Reality of Electrifying Everything,  April 9, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/04/09/the-reality-of-electrifying-everything-and-the-primary-energy-required-to-generate-the-electricity/
  43. Am I Missing Something? Here is an Update on Hyundai’s Commitment to its EV Meta Plant in Georgia:   https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/04/14/am-i-missing-something-on-evs-here-is-an-update-on-hyundais-meta-plant-commitment-to-evs-and-hydrogen-vehicles/
  44. Tom Shepstone’s post on Substack of Dick Storm’s letter to Senator Tom Davis: https://energysecurityfreedom.substack.com/p/a-balanced-energy-portfolio-is-critical/comments
  45. Dick Storm LI Post on SC Energy policies and failed coal and nuclear plant plans: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7184184178920312833?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  46. DW YouTube on Russian oil and gas and Germany: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/p4?projector=1
  47. De-Industrialization of Germany article: 
    https://ceinterim.com/deindustrialization-in-germany/
  48. Rust Belt on the Rhine, De-Industrialization of Germany: 
    https://www.politico.eu/article/rust-belt-on-the-rhine-the-deindustrialization-of-germany/
  49. International Banker: Jan. 2025 https://internationalbanker.com/finance/germany-has-an-escalating-deindustrialisation-problem/
  50. Gatestone Institute Dec. 2024 on German Energy Policy and De-Industrialization: https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/21244/europe-germany-renewable-energy
  51. From WSJ, Jan. 2024. Net-Zero and German DeIndustrialization: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/welcome-warily-the-eu-getting-serious-on-china-economic-security-net-zero-deindustrialization-de292bf1?st=JjwzXh&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
  52. Devil’s Algorithm & Climate Matrix: https://open.substack.com/pub/tilakdoshi/p/the-devils-algorithm-unplugging-from?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  53. The EPA “Endangerment Finding” and why it Needs to Go, Feb. 2, 2025: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-1ZW
  54. The SWAMP MONSTER vs. 300 Million Americans, Feb. 21, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/02/21/the-swamp-monster-vs-the-best-interests-of-the-united-states-of-america/
  55. Thomas J. Shepstone Substack on Dick Storm’s “Primer on How to Ensure Electricity Security (and How to Destroy It)”:  https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/a-primer-on-how-to-ensure-energy?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false 
  56. Thomas J. Shepstone version of Dick Storm article Feb, 2025. Time to Revoke the Endangerment Finding”  :  https://energysecurityfreedom.substack.com/p/its-way-past-time-to-revoke-the-pseudo
  57. Existing EPA-Endangerment Rules Impact South Carolina Electricity Costs and Will Cause Rationing if the EPA Endangerment Finding Isn’t Repealed  Feb. 28, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/02/28/existing-epa-rules-increase-costs-and-will-cause-rationing-of-electricity-in-south-carolina-if-endangerment-finding-is-not-repealed/
  58. David Siegel videos on Climate Change: https://www.cuttingthroughthenoise.net/climate-curious 
  59. The EPA Endangerment Finding Needs to Go! Thomas Shepstone publishing of Dick Storm article, March 9, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/the-epa-endangerment-finding-needs?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false 
  60. The U.S. Self-Inflicted Electricity Generation Crisis was Created by GONGO the SWAMP Monster, March 19, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/03/19/the-u-s-self-inflicted-electricity-generation-crisis-was-created-by-gongo-the-swamp-monster-here-is-how-to-end-it/
  61. Coal Power, It is the End Result that Matters!:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/03/28/coal-power-it-is-the-end-result-that-counts/
  62. My Letter to Senator Davis on Coal Power in S.C. April 1, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/04/03/response-to-palmetto-electric-request-to-contact-our-s-c-senators/
  63. The Solution to America’s Electricity Generation Crisis: Build New Coal Plants Now! https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/04/18/the-solution-to-the-nations-coming-electricity-reliability-crisis-build-new-coal-plants/
  64. Clean Energy Crisis, May 2, 2025     https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/05/02/clean-energy-crisis-2/
  65. Thomas J. Shepstone, edited version of Clean Energy Crisis on Substack, May 3, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/the-clean-energy-crisis-and-why-it?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
  66. Jason Hayes republishing of Why Electric rates in SC will Rise: https://open.substack.com/pub/jasonhayes/p/existing-epa-rules-increase-costs?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  67. Reality of Building 125 GW of New Coal Power Generation Capacity, Then and Now: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/05/07/the-reality-of-building-125-gw-of-new-coal-plant-generation-capacity-then-and-now/
  68. Repeal the IRA, Protect America’s Life-Blood of Energy and Electricity”:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/05/15/repeal-the-ira-protect-americas-lifeblood-of-energy-and-electricity-supply/
  69. Ron Stein and Dick Storm co authored article in America Out Loud, May 19, 2025: https://www.americaoutloud.news/intermittent-electricity-from-renewables-cannot-support-ai-and-data-centers/
    https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/05/27/internal-and-external-threats-to-the-u-s-electric-grid/
  70. The Reality of Returning Major Power Generation Equipment Manufacturing to the U.S. 
    https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/06/01/the-reality-of-returning-major-power-generation-equipment-manufacturing-to-the-u-s/
  71. Present DangerChina.org  Threats to the Electric Grid, Frank Gaffney, Grant Newsom, Sam Faddis, Dave Walsh and Dick Storm: https://presentdangerchina.org/webinar-inside-our-wires-the-ccp-has-penetrated-our-electric-grid-will-xi-destroy-it/
  72. Conventional Energy Including Coal is the Life-Blood of America:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/06/18/conventional-energy-including-coal-is-the-life-blood-of-america/
  73. Thomas J. Shepstone published version of Dick Storm blog post on the “Madness of the Self-Inflicted Electricity Generation Crisis” https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/the-madness-of-the-us-self-inflicted?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
  74. Energy is the Economy and Electricity is the Life-Blood of western civilization Coal Can Make America’s Electricity Supply Great Again  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/07/30/energy-is-the-economy-electricity-is-the-life-blood-of-western-civilization-coal-can-make-americas-electricity-supply-great-again/
  75. Thomas J. Shepstone on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/electricity-is-the-life-blood-of?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  76. SWAMP People and Organizations Against Making America Great, Foreign and Domestic https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/08/07/swamp-people-and-organizations-against-making-america-great-foreign-domestic/
  77. Published by Thomas J. Shepstone on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/fighting-the-swamp-and-our-enemies?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  78. Some Red States Still Embrace the Green New deal, Including the Usually Conservative State of S.C. Sept. 8, 2025:    https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/09/08/some-red-states-still-embrace-the-green-new-deal-including-usually-conservative-south-carolina/
  79. FIVE REASONS TO BUILD NEW COAL PLANTS NOW! COAL SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS A CRITICAL FUEL TO POWER AMERICA’S FUTURE, SEPT. 24, 2025:  HTTPS://DICKSTORMPROBIZBLOG.ORG/2025/09/24/FIVE-REASONS-TO-BUILD-NEW-COAL-PLANTS-NOW-COAL-SHOULD-BE-INCLUDED-AS-A-CRITICAL-FUEL-TO-POWER-AMERICAS-FUTURE/
  80. Forbes, Yes, Wind and Solar do Increase Electricity Prices: https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelshellenberger/2018/04/25/yes-solar-and-wind-really-do-increase-electricity-prices-and-for-inherently-physical-reasons/
  81. America’s Coal: https://americascoal.substack.com/p/estimating-the-real-cost-of-electricity
  82. IER on cost of solar and wind: https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/the-grid/rising-bills-bad-blame-whats-really-driving-electricity-prices/
  83. Energy Policy Research Chart of world electricity prices 2024. Excellent: https://eprinc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/COW2024-34-USAndEuropeanHouseholdElectricityPrices.pdf
  84. EPI Charts: https://eprinc.org/chart-of-the-week/?gf_protect_submission=1
  85. Inside Climate, Great State by State chart: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/which-states-getting-hit-hardest-electricity-price-qybsc/
  86. EIA FERC Electricity and Energy Data, Sept. 2025:  https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/current_month/september2025.pdf
  87. Inside Climate News: https://insideclimatenews.org/tags/inside-clean-energy/
  88. Excellent Paper on the Cost of Wind and Solar across the World, Oct. 5, 2025:  https://www.cis.org.au/publication/the-renewable-energy-honeymoon-starting-is-easy-the-rest-is-hard/

#Energyreality, Coal Power, economic prosperity and energy, Fossil Fuels are Important, Regulations

Five Reasons to Build New Coal Plants NOW! Coal Should Be Included as A Critical Fuel to Power America’s Future

1 Comment

We can call it a “Bridge Fuel” or just face the reality that it now takes over 100 Quadrillion BTUs of Primary Energy to Power America each year and that Primary Energy Demand will increase in the future. America is the Saudi Arabia of coal and we have the richest and highest quality coal on the planet. Also, an infrastructure to mine it and to transport it. This treasure should be utilized for the benefit of America and all of Humankind.

There are many reasons that new Base Load coal power plants should be under construction right now. In fact, they should have been under construction ten years ago!

Dick Storm’s Top Five Reasons to Build New coal Plants Now:

  • Electric Power Demand is Soaring and Coal has proven to be reliable and affordable
  • Coal power plants of sufficient Base Load Generation capacity could be built within ten years or less
  • Coal fuel cost is stable with less volatility than gas
  • America has more than sufficient coal reserves within our borders to fuel new coal power plants at a stable price
  • America’s Primary Energy Demand is likely to exceed 120 Quadrillion BTUs per year in the next decade. Coal will provide the additional productive capacity and it has been proven to do so by existing infrastructure

Choices of Primary Energy to Fuel the World

Global energy demand hit a record 592 exajoules (EJ) in 2024 — up 2%.



So, where did it come from?
 • Oil: 199 EJ (33.6%) – still the #1 source
 • Coal: 27.9% 
 • Gas: 25.2% 

Fossil Fuels are Still Important!
Together, oil, coal, and gas supplied 86.7% of global energy. Despite the MSM reports, these three fuels still provide the primary energy we need and depend on.

🔥 Keeping the lights on
🥘 Cooking our food
🚗 Driving us to work
❄️ Powering our fridges and hospitals
🏠 Keeping us warm

Powers the manufacturing that in-turn, powers the Economy
👨‍🌾 Keeping us alive 

Vaclav Smil shows that at least half of humanity is fed by nitrogen based fertilizers — made using natural gas via the Haber-Bosch process. That’s ~4 billion people who simply couldn’t survive without hydrocarbons. Add to that the energy needed for water, hospitals, heating, and transport, and the death toll from eliminating oil, coal, and gas overnight would not be in the millions — but in the billions.

Our much maligned Hydrocarbons don’t boast about this. They just work quietly to keep us alive. Each American uses right at 300 million BTUs each year. This is an average of just under 1 million BTU/day/person.

President Trump stated it correctly at the U.N. yesterday, “Climate Policies are a big Con Job” The only thing that the transition to solar and wind has done is to drive our electric bills through the roof and causing hardship and suffering amongst our most vulnerable. 

🔌 Let’s not forget the reality of the sources of PRIMARY Energy that powers the world

Electricity Generation

About a third of the primary energy is used to generate electricity and the other 2/3’s for Transportation, Industrial, Commercial and Residential use.

America uses and has used right at 100 Quadrillion BTUs of Primary Energy annually. The total of 100 Quads is bound to grow in the future owing to natural electricity demand growth of a growing population, electricfication of some transportation, through reshoring of U.S. manufacturing and AI Data Center new electricity Demand. Note from the chart below the relatively constant total Primary Energy use. It is within 5% of a constant 100 Quadrillion BTUs per year ever since about the year 2000. In my opinion, it is reasonable to expect the total primary energy demand to increase by at least 20% over the next 20 years.

Visual Capitalist has another excellent illustration of projected U.S. Electricity growth to 2050. Please keep in mind, electricity uses between 33 and 40% of available primary energy. Therefore, considering all factors, including energy security, volatility of natural gas prices, exported LNG and other facts, coal provides the readily available primary energy to generate electricity in the needed Bulk Power quantities.

Electricity is important and so is transportation, residential heating, cooking and Industrial production from viable manufacturing plants.

Conclusion

The best solution to the self inflicted electricity generation crisis is to immediately begin building new coal plants. Over 150 new coal plants were planned in 2007, then President Obama launched his all out “War on Coal” and he was successful in stopping most of them from being constructed and even worse, created policies that resulted in the shutting down and demolishing over half of the existing coal power generation capacity.

The Life-Blood of America is electricity. I presented my thoughts on this in July at the Coal Institute summer meeting. I stand behind those comments and recommendations.

Thankfully we now have President Trump and he understands the relationship of reliable, affordable electricity generation. His speech to the U.N. yesterday was spot on. May God Bless and protect President Trump and his outstanding Cabinet.

Yours very truly,

Dick Storm, September 23, 2025

References and for further research of the facts:

  1. EIA sources of Primary Energy 1950-2024: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65524
  2. Visual Capitalist on Primary Energy used in the World: https://www.voronoiapp.com/energy/What-Powered-the-World-in-2024–6217
  3. EIA U.S. Primary Energy use 1950-2024: https://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/browser/index.php?tbl=T01.01#/?f=A&start=1949&end=2024&charted=4-6-7-14
  4. POWER Magazine June 2006 Cover Story, Coal Fired Plant Capacity Continues to Increase : https://www.powermag.com/cover-story-coal-fired-electric-power-capacity-continues-to-increase/
  5. Global Energy Monitor Proposed Coal Plants Planned in 2007: https://www.gem.wiki/Proposed_coal_plants_in_the_United_States
  6. Global Energy Monitor  https://www.gem.wiki/Category:Proposed_coal_plants_in_the_United_States
  7. GEMS, “What Happened to the 151 Coal Plants” updated by GEMS 2017: https://www.gem.wiki/What_happened_to_the_151_proposed_coal_plants%3F
  8. NETL Report on Status of New Coal Plants 2010: https://www.netl.doe.gov/projects/files/TrackingNewCoalFiredPowerPlants_010810.pdf
  9. Dick Storm presentation to the Coal Institute, July 2025: http://www.thecoalinstitute.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Dick%20Storm%20Presentation%20July%202025.pdf
  10. Thomas Shepstone on President Trump’s speech to the U.N: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/trump-says-it-out-loud-climate-alarmism?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  11. Thomas J. Shepstone version of Dick Storm article Feb, 2025. Time to Revoke the Endangerment Finding”  :  https://energysecurityfreedom.substack.com/p/its-way-past-time-to-revoke-the-pseudo
  12. Existing EPA-Endangerment Rules Impact South Carolina Electricity Costs and Will Cause Rationing if the EPA Endangerment Finding Isn’t Repealed  Feb. 28, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/02/28/existing-epa-rules-increase-costs-and-will-cause-rationing-of-electricity-in-south-carolina-if-endangerment-finding-is-not-repealed/
  13. The U.S. Self-Inflicted Electricity Generation Crisis was Created by GONGO the SWAMP Monster, March 19, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/03/19/the-u-s-self-inflicted-electricity-generation-crisis-was-created-by-gongo-the-swamp-monster-here-is-how-to-end-it/
  14. Coal Power, It is the End Result that Matters!:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/03/28/coal-power-it-is-the-end-result-that-counts/
  15. My Letter to Senator Davis on Coal Power in S.C. April 1, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/04/03/response-to-palmetto-electric-request-to-contact-our-s-c-senators/
  16. The Solution to America’s Electricity Generation Crisis: Build New Coal Plants Now! https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/04/18/the-solution-to-the-nations-coming-electricity-reliability-crisis-build-new-coal-plants/
  17. Clean Energy Crisis, May 2, 2025     https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/05/02/clean-energy-crisis-2/
  18. Thomas J. Shepstone, edited version of Clean Energy Crisis on Substack, May 3, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/the-clean-energy-crisis-and-why-it?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
  19. Jason Hayes republishing of Why Electric rates in SC will Rise: https://open.substack.com/pub/jasonhayes/p/existing-epa-rules-increase-costs?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  20. Reality of Building 125 GW of New Coal Power Generation Capacity, Then and Now: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/05/07/the-reality-of-building-125-gw-of-new-coal-plant-generation-capacity-then-and-now/
  21. Repeal the IRA, Protect America’s Life-Blood of Energy and Electricity”:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/05/15/repeal-the-ira-protect-americas-lifeblood-of-energy-and-electricity-supply/
  22. Ron Stein and Dick Storm co authored article in America Out Loud, May 19, 2025: https://www.americaoutloud.news/intermittent-electricity-from-renewables-cannot-support-ai-and-data-centers/
    https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/05/27/internal-and-external-threats-to-the-u-s-electric-grid/
  23. The Reality of Returning Major Power Generation Equipment Manufacturing to the U.S. 
    https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/06/01/the-reality-of-returning-major-power-generation-equipment-manufacturing-to-the-u-s/
  24. Present DangerChina.org  Threats to the Electric Grid, Frank Gaffney, Grant Newsom, Sam Faddis, Dave Walsh and Dick Storm: https://presentdangerchina.org/webinar-inside-our-wires-the-ccp-has-penetrated-our-electric-grid-will-xi-destroy-it/
  25. Conventional Energy Including Coal is the Life-Blood of America:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/06/18/conventional-energy-including-coal-is-the-life-blood-of-america/
  26. Thomas J. Shepstone published version of Dick Storm blog post on the “Madness of the Self-Inflicted Electricity Generation Crisis” https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/the-madness-of-the-us-self-inflicted?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
  27. Energy is the Economy and Electricity is the Life-Blood of western civilization Coal Can Make America’s Electricity Supply Great Again  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/07/30/energy-is-the-economy-electricity-is-the-life-blood-of-western-civilization-coal-can-make-americas-electricity-supply-great-again/
  28. Thomas J. Shepstone on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/electricity-is-the-life-blood-of?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  29. SWAMP People and Organizations Against Making America Great, Foreign and Domestic https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/08/07/swamp-people-and-organizations-against-making-america-great-foreign-domestic/
  30. Published by Thomas J. Shepstone on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/fighting-the-swamp-and-our-enemies?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  31. Some Red States Still Embrace the Green New deal, Including the Usually Conservative State of S.C. Sept. 8, 2025:    https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/09/08/some-red-states-still-embrace-the-green-new-deal-including-usually-conservative-south-carolina/
  32. Energy and Economic Prosperity, Jan. 11, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/01/03/energy-and-economic-prosperity/
  33. Energy and World Peace, April, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/04/05/energy-world-peace/
  34. Comparison of China and U.S. Energy Policies: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/01/18/comparison-of-china-energy-electricity-generation-with-u-s-a/
  35. Energy and Economic Prosperity Nov.  2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/11/18/energy-and-economic-prosperity-2/
  36. Without New Thinking on Nuclear Power, Anti-Carbon Policy Can’t Succeed, Nov. 11, 2021 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/11/13/without-new-thinking-on-nuclear-power-anti-carbon-climate-policy-cant-succeed/
  37. The Rise and Fall and Rise Again  of Nations and the  Realities of Energy: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/08/15/the-rise-fall-and-rise-again-of-nations-and-the-realities-of-energy/
  38. America Needs 100 Quadrillion BTUs of Primary Energy Each Year, May 16, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/16/back-to-basics-the-u-s-needs-100-quadrillion-btus-year-of-primary-energy/  
  39. Pillars of Modern Civilization, Ammonia, Food, Steel, Concrete, Plastics, Aluminum, July 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/25/pillars-of-modern-civilization-all-dependent-on-energy/
  40. How Can a 6,000 MW Utility that will be a 9,000MW Utility in 2050, become Net-Zero Carbon? April 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/04/27/how-can-a-6000-mw-regional-utility-in-2030-which-likely-will-be-a-9000-mw-utility-in-2050-achieve-net-zero-carbon/
  41. Energy=Life as We Enjoy it, Aug. 22, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/08/22/energy-life-that-is-life-as-we-enjoy-it/
  42. “The War on Carbon, How it Came to Be”, Oct. 16, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/10/16/the-war-on-carbon-how-it-came-to-be/
  43. 830,000 BTUs per Day/Person, Sept. 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/09/16/830000-btus-per-day-person/
  44.   The Stupidity of Net-Zero Carbon, Oct. 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/10/13/the-stupidity-of-net-zero-carbon/
  45. America’s Treasure of Fossil Fuels, Update of 2011 presentation to ASME: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/11/26/americas-treasure-of-fossil-fuels/
  46.  American Dream = 100 Quadrillion BTUs per Year April 7, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/04/american-dream-100-quadrillion-btus/
  47.   Providing a Sustainable Million BTUs per Day/Person, May 17,  2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/05/17/providing-a-sustainable-million-btus-per-day-per-person-by-fuel-source/
     

#Energyreality, Coal Power, economic prosperity and energy, Energy, Politics and Economic Prosperity, Keeping America Great, Western Civilization

Some Red States Still Embrace the Green New Deal; Including “Usually Conservative” South Carolina

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Anti-American, pro-CCP energy policies are not limited to Blue states. We expect foolish energy policies from California, Hawaii, Massachussetts, CT, ME and NY but not so much in “Red States” like South Carolina. S.C. is one of the most Conservative states in the U.S. However the S.C. political leaders have drank the “Green Kool Aid” and continue to permit and depend on solar with battery backup to be promoted to replace the reliable and affordable coal generation in our state.

My friend Dave Walsh was on Bannon’s War Room a couple days ago to discuss the surge in building of solar farms in America. One point that he made was: It is not only Blue States that have self-sabotaging energy policies, it is also Red States. Including my state of South Carolina. 91% of new U.S. generation capacity built last year was renewables. https://rumble.com/v6yif84-walsh-91-of-new-capacity-power-being-built-this-year-is-solar-and-a-little-.html?e9s=src_v1_ucp_a

A chart of investment in renewables supports the comments of Dave Walsh. Over 91% of the new generation installed in the U.S. in 2024 was renewables. This is also corroborated on the Global Energy Monitor website.

Mark Lewis on LinkedIn has also posted a summary of the persistent building of tax subsidized, parasitic and high electricity rate driving solar and wind. Mark’s post is here. A screen shot of the ENVERUS chart is copied below. This is from Ian Nieboer Substack article. Thank you Ian. As can be seen, the subsidies for wind, solar and battery storage continue well past 2030. In my opinion and observations, the subsidies for wind and solar are the root cause of increasing electric rates nationwide and a trend toward reduced reliability as well.

Back to my Red state of S.C. SenatorTom Davis, Governor McMaster and the SC Legislature still have coal plant shutdowns planned for Santee-Cooper. Here is an excerpt of the Press Release on “All of the Above EnergyPolicy” by Senator Davis:

These coal plants have a stellar record of keeping electricity prices and reliability amongst the best in the world. Tom Davis’ Press Release after the Governor signed the SC Energy Bill implied: “We consider all forms of energy, renewables, gas and nuclear”. I emailed Davis to remind him that over 40% of Palmetto Electric’s Bulk Power is from coal and that it is the lowest cost fuel. Davis got right back to me and said, “We won’t shut coal plants down until a better source is found”….This is Not reassuring because, starving an operating plant of required maintenance $$ will simply cause it to become an unreliable and higher cost asset…then, predictably, the improperly maintained equipment wear and tear will lead to a self inflicted decay and unreliability. After the deterioration, this will lead to a then obvious decision to replace the coal plants with higher production cost gas plants. This happened at the once magnificent McIntosh Unit #3 at the City of Lakeland in Florida. I know because I worked many years for the City of Lakeland as a contractor and/or consultant, including the startup and tuning of McIntosh #3 and many maintenance efforts 1982-2012.

Reminder, the generation cost component to produce electricity, for a gas plant is about 90% fuel cost. Therefore, if the gas price doubles, so does the production cost of electricity. Let that sink in. The gas fueled RICE (Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines) will produce electricity at a cost that tracks natural gas prices.

Fast forward to next year and the U.S. exported LNG will likely increase domestic gas prices in the U.S. this winter and beyond. I support President Trump’s interest in exporting LNG but we should use more American coal for power generation here in the U.S. until new nuclear plants are built. In fact, more new coal plants should be built as well. I presented my thoughts and analysis of the importance of coal power at the Coal Institute in July. Coal is a more stable and economical fuel for Bulk Power generation.

Natural gas prices are not always low. Here is a 44 year history of gas prices compared to coal.

A minority of the folks in the U.S. population (Including Policymakers) understand the basics of energy and power generation. My estimate is less than 3%. Why? Utility generating plants became huge, highly automated and it only takes a crew of three operators to run a 600-1200 MW coal plant. Also, the 97% of the energy naive public has been bombarded with green indoctrination and lies about “Free solar and wind power”. Thus, the combination of high productivity of coal plants over the years has been done with a very small work force that has experience in power generation. Then, secondly, the successful demonization of coal by the MSM, Entertainment and well funded NGOs has led us to the point of a Self-Inflicted electricity generation crisis. ( Maybe not all Self Inflicted, some foreign actors were also involved)

Piling onto the madness of anti-American energy policies we have, Utility managers trained in accounting or law that have teamed up with similarly low Energy IQ politicians to create harmful, anti-American, Net-Zero Carbon Policies…These are so called “Energy Policies”. Why and how can these insane policies be put into place? Because the policy makers simply do not understand basic power generation fundamentals. Much of the western world has been following the same destructive Net-Zero Carbon path. Five examples are the UK, Germany, Spain, Australia and Denmark. They all have high power costs that are killing their once productive Industrial base. My adopted state of S.C. seems to be right there with the UK and Germany with regard to foolish “Green Energy Policies”.

Conclusions

  1. Much of the Free Western World has been making the same mistakes on following a path to Net-Zero Carbon
  2. It is my opinion that the path to Net-Zero Carbon was to reduce the productive capacity of the west and increase the dependence on manufactured products from China. Net-Zero Carbon policies are Not based on sound energy policies or for protection of the environment. At best they are to promote government control of our lives. At worst they are to weaken the western free world and therefore by default, increase the world influence of China.
  3. Thankfully we have President Trump and Chris Wright to frame U.S. Energy Policy. However, the purpose of this article is to point out the fact that many states remain on paths to destroy reasonable cost, reliable electric power generation that supports industrial production and economic prosperity…

Yours very truly,

Dick Storm, September 9, 2025

References and information for further reading

  1. Mark Lewis post on LinkedIn on the building of renewables after passing the OBBB, Sept 7, 2025: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7370480088062046208-EhvU?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAI4KQUBYW-cbQRlA1kgj9X3llGi7u6KNnQ
  2. Ian Nieboer Substack and ENVERUS chart of OBBBA Subsidies: https://onenergy.iannieboer.com/p/questions-for-california
  3. Dick Storm presentation to the Coal Institute, July 2025. http://www.thecoalinstitute.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Dick%20Storm%20Presentation%20July%202025.pdf
  4. Global Energy Monitor website: https://globalenergymonitor.org/projects/global-integrated-power-tracker/dashboard/
  5. Rafe Champion Burn Coal or Freeze in the Dark: https://rafechampion.substack.com/p/burn-coal-in-australia-or-die-in
  6. Bjorn Lomberg: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bjornlomborg_nytimes-and-many-other-suggest-that-the-more-activity-7350118091680313344-CTSF?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAI4KQUBYW-cbQRlA1kgj9X3llGi7u6KNnQ
  7. Bjorn Lomberg on high cost of solar and wind: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bjornlomborg_the-expensive-green-delusion-despite-green-activity-7331637580842594304-yJtG?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAI4KQUBYW-cbQRlA1kgj9X3llGi7u6KNnQ
  8. Substack article by Isaac Orr and Mitch Rolling on Solar with Battery Backup, July 5th, 2025:https://energybadboys.substack.com/p/the-baseload-solar-beatdown
  9. Substack by Orr and Rolling in 2024 on the Myth of Cheap Solar: https://energybadboys.substack.com/p/how-to-destroy-the-myth-of-cheap  
  10. EIA List of Electricity Rates by State: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_a
    https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/20/hawaii-a-glimpse-into-the-future-of-the-green-new-deal-aka-inflation-reduction-act-here-is-an-update/
  11. Thomas J. Shepstone on Why Do Wind and Solar Need Subsidies if they are so Cheap?: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/why-are-solar-and-wind-still-government?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  12. EIA Most of new generation capacity in 2025 from Solar, Aug. 20, 2025: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65964&utm_medium=email
  13. WSJ on Wind and Solar subsidies, Aug. 21, 2025: https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/why-solar-and-wind-power-can-thrive-without-subsidies-cee47663
  14. Failures of the renewables transition era are insults to taxpayers.
    The worlds’ population depends on insulation, wires, computers, and fertilizers that “renewables” cannot provide.
    Published September 1, 2025, in America Out Loud NEWS
    https://www.americaoutloud.news/failures-of-the-renewables-transition-era-are-insults-to-taxpayers/
  15. Inside Climate News on Maryland Matters of Why Electric Costs are Escalating: https://marylandmatters.org/2025/09/01/why-prices-are-soaring-in-the-countrys-largest-grid-region-explained-in-5-charts/
  16. GRIDWATCH Australia
    Thank you Rafe Champion! “AT 6.30 PM eastern time THE  WIND WAS CONTRIBUTING 13%  OF DEMAND IN THE EAST 
    AND  2.5% IN THE WEST OH DEAR!!”  
     https://www.nem-watch.info/widgets/RenewEconomy/
  17. TEXAS Grid status
    https://www.gridstatus.io/live/ercot
  18. BRITAIN Grid status:
    https://grid.iamkate.com/    
  19.  PJM Interconnection, Dashboard:  https://www.pjm.com
  20. Mid-America Independent System Operator, Dashboard MISO:  https://www.misoenergy.org
  21. Ed Ireland on TX wind and solar: https://substack.com/@edireland
  22. Interview with Dave Walsh on Bannon War Room, Rumble, Sept 5, 2025: https://rumble.com/v6yif84-walsh-91-of-new-capacity-power-being-built-this-year-is-solar-and-a-little-.html?e9s=src_v1_ucp_a
  23. Tom Shepstone Sub-Stack on Massachusetts high electric rates: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/political-reality-descends-upon-massachusetts?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  24. Tom Shepstone on POSIGEN Failure in PA, Sept. 8, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/posigen-provides-yet-another-example?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  25. Electric Power Fantasies Collide in the West, CFACT, Aug. 12, 2025: https://papundits.wordpress.com/2025/08/12/electric-power-fantasies-collide-out-west/
  26. WUWT on Power in the West by David Wojick: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/08/12/electric-power-fantasies-collide-out-west/
  27. Dr. Samule Furfari on Energy Additions, Not a Transition, Fossil Fuels are the Bedrock of Progress, July 2025: https://co2coalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/2025-07-Energy-Addition-Not-Transition-Fossil-Fuels-Remain-the-Bedrock-of-Progress.pdf
  28. The Very Real Costs of the War on Coal, Real Clear Energy, July 2025: https://www.realclearenergy.org/articles/2025/07/31/the_very_real_human_impact_of_coal_closures_1125990.html
  29. EIA Solar most of new capacity 2025, Aug. 20, 2025: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=65964&utm_medium=email
  30. Dick Storm presentation to the Coal Institute, July 2025: http://www.thecoalinstitute.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Dick%20Storm%20Presentation%20July%202025.pdf
  31. ” The full Santee-Cooper IRP is here: https://www.santeecooper.com/About/Integrated-Resource-Plan/Reports-and-Materials/Santee-Cooper-2024-IRP-Update.pdf
  32. EIA Electricity Prices, March 2025: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_a  
    https://electricityplans.com/average-electricity-bill-usage-rate-by-state/#top-10-states-for-cheapest-electricity-bills
  33. EIA Wholesale Electricity Rates, 2024: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=64284
  34. Electric Choice.com March 2025, Electric Rates in U.S.: https://www.electricchoice.com/electricity-prices-by-state/
  35. Coal Power, It is the End Result that Matters!:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/03/28/coal-power-it-is-the-end-result-that-counts/
  36. Volatility of natural gas prices: Natural Gas Consumption 2024 by EIA, March 31, 2025: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=64845&utm_medium=email
  37. Natural Gas Prices tabulation 2019-2024 by EIA : https://www.eia.gov/naturalgas/monthly/pdf/table_03.pdf
  38. On the high cost of wind, solar and Battery Electricity Storage Systems: Frazer Institute, “Hot Air, Cold Truths, Bjorn Lomberg, March 2025: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/hot-air-and-cold-truths-bjorn-lomborg
  39. Delaware County Insider, Wind and Solar are Expensive, Bjorn Lomberg, May 24,  2024: https://delawarevalleyjournal.com/lomborg-the-true-cost-of-wind-and-solar-energy/  
  40. Yahoo Finance and National Post, March 2025, Bjorn Lomberg, Wind and Solar are Expensive: https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/bjorn-lomborg-solar-wind-power-100008520.html
  41. Alabama Attorney General is amongst 22 states in appeal to return to coal for power generation revival of the Grid: https://gulfcoastmedia.com/stories/alabama-attorney-general-calls-for-reviving-americas-energy-grid-with-coal,257548?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0XeLob6rYc5WaBBtSyuB7vHctTdzVhTJxJZ96bExtALJBFoqUPAJPKaY0_aem_8TNpNEKQSIdjNrJTJeBF8Q#//
  42. Life Powered article on the Unreliability of Wind & Solar in Texas, March 29, 2025: https://lifepowered.org/reliability-standards-to-reduce-the-cost-of-wind-and-solar-volatility-in-texas/
  43. Highest cost Electricity by Country: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/cost-of-electricity-by-country https://www.electricrate.com/data-center/electricity-prices-by-country/ https://www.insidermonkey.com/blog/20-countries-with-highest-cost-of-electricity-1176033/
  44. Santee-Cooper 2023 Facts: https://www.santeecooper.com/About/Investors/easset_upload_file52601_79834_e.pdf
  45. SC Bill to update Energy Policy. Hard to read the gobbledygook….but here it is: https://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess126_2025-2026/bills/3309.html
  46. City of Lakeland McIntosh Unit #3 Destruction due to political choices and poor maintenance before declaring it unreliable: https://www.powermag.com/watch-implosion-topple-florida-coal-fired-plant/
  47. Thomas J. Shepstone on solar and wind still being built after Congress passed One Big Beautiful Bill, Sept. 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/are-the-days-of-solar-stupidity-coming?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  48. Washington Free Beacon report on CCP funding of Climate Extremists in the U.S. Dec. 19, 2024: https://freebeacon.com/energy/ex-ccp-officials-steered-millions-to-us-based-green-groups-universities-for-climate-initiatives/
  49. Firebreak on NGO’s and Regulations, Part 1: https://www.thefirebreak.org/p/introducing-a-new-stakeholder-class?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
  50. Firebreak on APE’s and NGO’s and How to Regulate, Part 2: https://open.substack.com/pub/thefirebreak/p/how-to-regulate-apes-part-2?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
  51. Capital Research Center, Influence Watch report on Green Capital grants from government 2024  : https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/coalition-for-green-capital-cgc/
  52. Firebreak Substack on EU Billions…NGO’s, May 27, 2025: https://www.thefirebreak.org/p/billions-to-ngos-from-dark-channels?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  53. Firebreak, June 19, 2025 on Green Billionaire Funds to NGO’s supporting “Climate Change Propaganda”: https://www.thefirebreak.org/p/mouthpiece-for-green-billionaires?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  54. Thomas J. Shepstone, Jr on Bill McKibben & 350.0rg. , the Rockefeller Foundation and NRDC wrongly demonizing coal plants. Sept. 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/robert-bryce-takes-down-bill-mckibben?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  55. Thomas J. Shepstone article 9 years ago in 2014 on the Rockefeller and 350.org coordination of opposition to natural gas Hydraulic Fracturing: https://naturalgasnow.org/rockefeller-front-group-350-org-attacks-cove-point/
#Energyreality, BlueGreenAlliance, China, Coal Power, economic prosperity and energy

SWAMP People and Organizations Against Making America Great, Foreign & Domestic

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About three decades ago I became curious of those people and organizations that seemed to work in earnest against the best interests of the U.S.A. My interest began with EPA “Violations of New Source Review” How did they affect me? It was directly. Myself and our team were consulting and providing performance improving modifications (“modifications” was a dirty word with the EPA when NSR is considered) with numerous electric Utilities to improve capacity, fuel flexibility, heat-Rate (efficiency improvement) and to reduce emissions. What reward did we get for improving efficiency, reducing the cost of power generation and reducing emissions? The plant owners were fined and in some cases the plants were prematurely retired and shut down. As for my company, we just lost some business and moved on to the next opportunity. But….I remember at the time…wondering why the EPA rules that already seemed anti-American became even more restrictive and seemed to be headed toward outlawing coal for power generation? Ultimately EPA Rules leading to the “Self-Sabotaging” of our reliable power generation. That was a time when about 50% of America’s electricity was generated from coal fuel and the U.S. enjoyed amongst the lowest cost electricity in the world, the Grid was reliable and affordable. Then the Obama Administration boldly did move to literally demonize and outlaw new coal power generation plants with the “EPA Endangerment Finding” in 2010.

A reminder, Obama and his EPA created the EV Mandate in 2012. Then the escalated “War on Coal”.

Fast-forward to 2025 and now facts are coming out that perhaps the “Self-Sabotaging” of our electric grid was not driven by policies to clean the air and water. Perhaps a more sinister motivation? Here are twenty references that implicate certain U.S. politicians and China’s influence. The EPA Rules went beyond clean air and water and in my opinion, were anti-American.

Background of Propaganda

The SWAMP is comprised of many nefarious actors, both foreign and domestic. Some are as innocent looking as TIME Magazine and Dan Rather on CBS News. Thank you Chris Martz, Tony Heller, James Woods, Krudkrew147, and John Stossel for these reminders of the greatest scientific hoax in history. The misinformation on science, demonization of coal and hydrocarbon fuels has literally crippled the industrial production of western civilization and helped to transfer manufacturing and the wealth it provides to China. Here are some of the domestic sources of the mischievous Climate propaganda.

Then there are three more examples I saw on “X” :

Tony Heller post on X of U.S. Temperatures since 1895, this year is lowest avg. temp since 1895: https://x.com/JunkScience/status/1952071289738612810

John Stossel on Junk Science Scares on X : https://x.com/JohnStossel/status/1952126581146824848

James Woods on “X”, An instructive title: “Climate Change, The All Purpose Scam”: https://x.com/RealJamesWoods/status/1952088800026317097

Posted on “X” by Krudkrew147 Captures the true facts in one meme. Was it a hoax or successful Propaganda by the CCP?

History of Energy Foundation China, according to Influence Watch

The enemies of common sense energy policies are not only foreigners. Note the American NGO’s listed in Influence Watch. To me, this is troubling, to see respected NGOs and American businesses that are aiding and abetting the CCP.

The Energy Foundation was founded in 1991 when three foundations – the MacArthur Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Pew Charitable Trusts – recruited recent Stanford University graduates Hal Harvey, Tom Strand, and Eric Heitz to start an environmental initiative. Energy Foundation China was launched in 1999 with support from the Hewlett and Packard foundations.  In 1999, the Packard Foundation helped to establish Energy Foundation China, with offices in Beijing.  In 2020, Energy Foundation China separated from the Energy Foundation, whilst retaining the legacy EIN number. 

Like others knowledgeable in power generation, I thought, these are actions to deliberately weaken America. They could not be done better by our country’s mortal enemies if they were in charge of the EPA themselves. So, that is where I am coming from. The purpose of this article is to review the history of Applied Political Science 1990-2023 enemies within the U.S. Some are foreign and some are domestic.

Here are previous articles that I wrote on Influencers of U.S. Environmental Policies that literally caused the Self Sabotaging of our power generation infrastructure.

Conclusion

The past fifteen years of anti conventional energy policies will be difficult to overcome. I applaud President Trump and his outstanding Cabinet members for their efforts to correct past anti-American environmental and energy polices. However, I fear that we have gone a bit past the tipping point of NOT building enough new generation capacity to replace that which has been shut down and in most cases, destroyed. The about 125,000 MW of coal power generation shut down since 2010 cannot be replaced by new coal or nuclear plants of similar capacity by 2030 due to supply-chain limitations. Obama, Pelosi, Biden and the Democrats have weakened our electric power generation infrastructure. Why do they seem to have a stronger allegiance to China than to the U.S.A.?

My hope and prayer is that the American people will wake up and force the Democrat politicians to begin to support Pro-American energy and environmental policies. Based on what I have observed over the past 15 years, this will be difficult for many NGOs, wealthy individuals, politicians and Bureaucrats to support restoring American Industrial productivity, as we had before Obama’s Presidency. Rebuilding the supply-chain of talent, manufacturing capacity and the “American Can Do” attitude will be hard unless the half of our country stuck on resisting Trump wakes up and supports America First.

Respectfully and very truly yours,

Dick Storm, August 7, 2025

83 References for further background (updated August. 8, 2025)

  1. China AI powered by coal plants: https://open.substack.com/pub/stephenheins/p/headline-china-vs-us-ai-supremacy?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
  2. Chinese Companies listed on U.S. Stock Exchanges: As of March 7, 2025, there were 286 Chinese companies listed on these U.S. exchanges with a total market capitalization of $1.1 trillion. That valuation increased by $250 billion from the start of 2024, when this table tracked just 265 Chinese companies listed on U.S. exchanges with a total market capitalization of $848 billion.
    Since January 2024, 48 Chinese companies have listed on the three U.S. exchanges, raising $2.1 billion in combined initial public offerings (IPOs). https://www.uscc.gov/research/chinese-companies-listed-major-us-stock-exchanges  
  3. Influence Watch Report on Energy Foundation China:    https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/energy-foundation-china/
  4. State Armor Report on Energy Foundation China, (very comprehensive, lots of references) https://statearmor.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/State-Armor-Who-is-Energy-Foundation-China-Report.pdf
  5. This report reveals much of what is wrong with the EPA. 114th Congress Report on Obama Carbon Policies and Influence of Green Groups: http://www.scientificintegrityinstitute.org/USSEWP080415.pdf
  6. Washington Examiner: Gina McCarthy CEO of NRDC: https://eelegal.org/washington-examiner-gina-mccarthy-and-nrdc-together-again/
  7. Ken Braun’s article on Jennifer Graham background at Capital Research Center, “Green Watch”: https://capitalresearch.org/article/bonkers-about-batteries-the-unauthorized-biography-of-jennifer-granholm/
  8. Dept. of Interior Sec’y Deb Harland on Utah Land which has energy reserves: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jun/15/deb-haaland-national-monument-protections-joe-biden-trump
  9. E & E News June 6, 2023. How Green New Dealers became Washington Power Players: https://www.eenews.net/articles/how-green-new-dealers-became-washington-power-players/
  10. Profile of the Department of the Interior, compiled by Robert Stilson of CRC: https://www.influencewatch.org/government-agency/biden-administration-department-of-the-interior/
  11. Capital Research Center (CRC) on Profile of Biden’s head of the Department of Energy: https://www.influencewatch.org/government-agency/biden-administration-department-of-energy/
  12. CRC on the Biden head of EPA: https://www.influencewatch.org/government-agency/biden-administration-independent-agencies/#environmental-protection-agency
  13. CRC on the Biden WH Council on Environmental Quality: https://www.influencewatch.org/government-agency/biden-administration-executive-office-of-the-president/#council-on-environmental-quality
  14. CRC on the Biden WH Office of Domestic Climate Policy: https://www.influencewatch.org/government-agency/biden-administration-executive-office-of-the-president/#office-of-domestic-climate-policy
  15. CRC on the Biden Office of Science and Technology Policy: https://www.influencewatch.org/government-agency/biden-administration-executive-office-of-the-president/#office-of-science-and-technology-policy
  16. CRC on environmental group connections in this blog post from June 2021: https://capitalresearch.org/article/nonprofits-in-the-biden-administration-special-interest-and-advocacy-groups/
  17. Science Matters on the Roots of Environmentalism, Jan 2023: https://rclutz.com/2023/01/06/from-nature-conservation-to-climate-calamity/#like-28807
  18. C. Paul Smith “Closing Argument on the Climate Change Hoax”:  https://www.cpaulsmith.com/palmyra-bookstore/the-climate-change-hoax-argument/
  19. The UK and European experiences with “Green Energy” should be a clear warning to the U.S.A., The Telegraph, June 11, 2023: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/britain-s-green-energy-disaster-should-be-an-awful-warning-to-americans/ar-AA1compu?OCID=ansmsnnews11
  20. How the Greens Went Mainstream, Foreign Policy, April 2021: https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/04/23/how-the-greens-went-mainstream/
  21. Russian Funding of Anti-Fossil Fuels Groups in U.S. March 2022, The Hill: https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/596304-investigate-russias-covert-funding-of-us-anti-fossil-fuel-groups/
  22. Washinton Free Beacon article on EPA Requests DOJ to Investigate Dark Money to Environmental Activist Groups, October 2020:  https://freebeacon.com/national-security/epa-requests-doj-investigate-foreign-funding-of-environmental-groups/
  23. Dark Money accepted by Democrats from BlueGreen Alliance admission, Washington free Beacon May 24, 2023: https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/senate-finance-committee-dems-said-theyd-fight-dark-money-they-just-fawned-over-a-liberal-dark-money-operative/
  24. “So-Called” Democracy Alliance Investment Report, 2014: https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/1202744/da-portfolio2012-2014-042714.pdf
  25. Swiss Billionaire Bankrolls Biden Agenda through Arabella Advisors, Reported in Washington Free Beacon, April 4, 2023: https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/swiss-billionaire-bankrolls-biden-agenda-with-63-million-in-dark-money/
  26. Meet the Group behind Banning Gas Stoves, Rocky Mountain Institute Creates anti Gas Stove Campaign, partially funded by China, as reported in Washington free Beacon, January 16, 2023: https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/meet-the-green-energy-group-behind-the-study-thats-driving-calls-to-ban-gas-stoves/
  27. Stacey Abrams working with Group, Rewiring America, to Ban Gas Stoves. Group has ties with Chinese Funding, Washington Free Beacon, March 16, 2023: https://freebeacon.com/democrats/election-denier-stacey-abrams-is-now-working-to-eliminate-gas-stoves/
  28. Obama’s Man in China is now China’s Man in Washington, Max Baucus is talking head for China, Washington Free Beacon, May 21, 2020: https://freebeacon.com/national-security/obamas-man-in-china-now-beijings-man-in-washington/
  29. Numerous articles on Environmental Activists around the world, The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/us/topics/environmental-activism-3496
  30. BBC Report on 50 years of Activism, How the Biggest Environmental Movement Began April 2020: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200420-earth-day-2020-how-an-environmental-movement-was-born
  31. Meet the Activists, Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/explore/savingearth/meet-the-activists
  32. House Lawmakers Step Up Action on Green Groups Working with Foreign Countries, June, 2018, Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-environment-congress-idUSKBN1JG204
  33. Washington Examiner, June 2018: Russian Groups Gave Millions to Green Groups to Fight Fracking in U.S.: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/russian-funded-environmental-group-gave-millions-to-anti-fracking-groups  
  34. GAO Report on Foreign Influence of U.S. Research, Oct. 2021: https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-105434
  35. FBI Investigating Foreign Influence of Jan. 6, 2020 Capital Riot, NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/fbi-probing-if-foreign-governments-groups-funded-extremists-who-helped-n1254525
  36. Capital Research Report on Combatting Foreign Influence of American Institutions, Robert Stilson, October 2020 : https://capitalresearch.org/article/combating-foreign-government-influence-in-american-institutions/  
  37. Report of Uranium One Deal sale to Russia and Russian Influence of the Obama’s and Clintons, Fox News 2018 : https://docs.house.gov/meetings/II/II06/20190625/109694/HHRG-116-II06-20190625-SD004.pdf
  38. The Hill, Wikileaks Releases Alleged John Podesta emails on Russian Business dealings of Clintons and Obama, Oct. 10, 2016: https://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/299904-wikileaks-releases-alleged-podesta-emails/
  39. Politico, What you Need to Know About Hillary Clinton and Uranium One Deal, Nov. 14, 2017:https://www.politico.com/story/2017/11/14/hillary-clinton-uranium-one-deal-russia-explainer-244895
  40. Oil Price.com report on Russia Owning some U.S. Nuclear Fuel as a result of the Uranium One Deal, May 6, 2015: https://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Nuclear-Power/Does-Russia-Really-Own-20-Of-The-US-Uranium-Reserves.html
  41. John Podesta was involved in a major deal with Russians in 2011-2019, Breitbart News, April 4, 2019: https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/04/03/collusion-russians-gave-35-million-to-company-with-john-podesta-on-board/  
  42. John Podesta’s brother Tony received payments as a Lobbyist for Russia on Uranium One Deal and was not registered as a Foreign Agent,  Daily Caller, Nov. 2017  :  https://dailycaller.com/2017/11/05/tony-podesta-lobbied-for-russias-uranium-one-and-did-not-file-as-a-foreign-agent/
  43. Forbes, Oct. 25, 2017; “Why Was Justice Dept. Silent on Criminal Activity of Nuclear Agency During Obama’s Administration”: https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulroderickgregory/2017/10/25/why-was-obamas-justice-department-silent-on-criminal-activity-by-russias-nuclear-agency/?sh=38d0c3fabe17  
  44. American Thinker, October 2017 article, So what was John Podesta’s now-collapsed Russian green energy scheme really all about?https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2017/10/so_what_was_john_podestas_nowcollapsed_russian_green_energy_scheme_really_all_about.html
  45. John Podesta And Podesta Group Under Investigation By FBI And DOJ Technocracy News, August 2016: https://www.technocracy.news/john-podesta-and-podesta-group-under-investigation-by-fbi-and-doj/
  46. Climate Depot, March 6, 2022, Investigate Russia’s covert funding of US anti-fossil fuel groups:https://www.climatedepot.com/2022/03/06/investigate-russias-covert-funding-of-us-anti-fossil-fuel-groups/
  47. The Hill, March 1, 2022, Russia Investigation on Involvement with U.S. Anti-Fossil Fuels Groups: https://thehill.com/opinion/energy-environment/596304-investigate-russias-covert-funding-of-us-anti-fossil-fuel-groups/  
  48. BIV.com, Canadian Environmental Groups Received $1.3 Billion in Foreign Funding : https://biv.com/article/2021/10/canadian-environmental-groups-got-13-billion-foreign-funding-inquiry
  49. Natural Resources Defense Council Receives 100 Million from Jeff Bezos, Nov. 2020: https://www.nrdc.org/press-releases/nrdc-receives-100-million-bezos-earth-fund-accelerate-climate-action
  50. Big Green Radicals Funding, NRDC : https://biggreenradicals.com/group/natural-resources-defense-council/
  51. Washington Free Beacon report on Foreign Funding through Bermuda of Environmental Extremist Groups, August 2013 : https://freebeacon.com/national-security/liberal-foundation-distributed-money-from-bermuda-to-liberal-nonprofits/
  52. Washington Examiner, Leftists Activists Demand Democrats Keep Nuclear and Carbon Capture Out of Green Energy Bill, May 12, 2021: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/activists-demand-renewable-energy-standard
  53. Here are 36 Organizations Helping to Solve the Climate Crisis (and weaken the U.S.A.) FoodTank.com, 2020 : https://foodtank.com/news/2020/10/36-organizations-helping-solve-the-climate-crisis/
  54. Russia Funding Activist Groups in U.S. Center for Security Policy, March 2019 : https://centerforsecuritypolicy.org/moscow-secretly-funded-us-anti-fracking-groups-is-it-now-attacking-us-energy-companies/
  55. Robert Bryce, No Uranium for Nuclear, June 9, 2023: https://robertbryce.substack.com/p/no-u
  56. Tom Steyer in Philanthropy News, 2014, Donates 50 million to NextGen Climate Action in Florida for Climate Change: https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/hedge-fund-billionaire-to-step-up-climate-change-advocacy-efforts
  57. Sheldon Whitehouse’s new book where he will claim the opposition party does what he and his party have done very effectively, for decades: “The Scheme, where He accuses Republicans of using Dark Money”, when in fact, the Democrats do it much more: https://thenewpress.com/books/scheme
  58. Ron Clutz Blog “Science Matters” June 12, 2023 on the Climate Blame Game & “Energy Absurdities” in Canada: https://rclutz.com/2023/06/12/absurd-climate-blame-game/#like-31517
  59. Dick Storm Blog post, “The War on Carbon, How it Came to Be”: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/10/16/the-war-on-carbon-how-it-came-to-be/
  60. West Virginia Shelly Moore Capito Opinion in WVA “Intelligencer” Newspaper, July 2022 on Joe Goffman as nominee to EPA position: https://www.theintelligencer.net/opinion/local-columns/2022/07/joe-goffman-the-wrong-choice-to-help-lead-epa/
  61. Pentagon to Electrify the Military, Nov. 2021, Military.com: https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/11/09/electric-military-vehicles-are-part-of-biden-climate-agenda-pentagon-says.html
  62. Environment America.org, Why Environmentalists Back Ed Markey: https://environmentamerica.org/articles/supporting-ed-markey/
  63. The Guardian on Bill Gates views on Climate, Feb. 2021: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/feb/13/bill-gates-on-the-climate-crisis-i-cant-deny-being-a-rich-guy-with-an-opinion
  64. John Kerry Targets Agriculture at WEF Speech, May 2023, Fox News: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/john-kerry-targets-agriculture-part-climate-crusade
  65. WEF Calls for Limiting Private Car Use, June 2022:  https://www.internationalfreepress.com/2023/06/wef-document-calls-for-limiting-private.html
  66. WEF on Population Degrowth, June 2022: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/06/what-is-degrowth-economics-climate-change/
  67. WEF Calls to reduce vehicles by eliminating ownership, Climate Depot, Aug. 2022: https://www.climatedepot.com/2022/08/01/world-economic-forum-calls-to-reduce-private-vehicles-by-eliminating-ownership/
  68. Greta Thunberg Time Line, April 2021, Independent, UK: https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/greta-thunberg-bbc-documentary-timeline-b1830225.html
  69. Sierra Club and Abortion Alignment, On the Issues, : https://www.ontheissues.org/Celeb/Sierra_Club_Abortion.htm
  70. U.N., Planned Parenthood and Sierra Club Alignment Sept. 2015:  https://unfoundation.org/media/un-foundation-planned-parenthood-federation-of-america-sierra-club-announce-winners-of-first-ever-why-we-care-youth-emerging-leaders-for-reproductive-rights-contest/
  71. Sierra Club & NRDC Environmental Groups Urge Support for Affordable Care Act and Reproductive Rights, March 2017: https://content.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2017/03/environmental-groups-urge-support-affordable-care-act-and-planned-parenthood
  72. Sierra Club & Planned Parenthood Join Conferences to Explain Sex and the Environment. Nov. 2007, Catholic News Agency,: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/11091/sierra-club-joins-planned-parenthood-to-offer-conferences-on-sex-and-the-environment
  73. Lecture by Michael Rectenwald at Hillsdale College on “What is the Great Reset”, The Great Reset movement toward World Totalitarianism: https://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/what-is-the-great-reset/
  74. Daily Skeptic, Feb. 23, 2023, by 30 year Reuter’s veteran Journalist “I Thought CO2 Was Causing Global Warming, I was Wrong”: https://dailysceptic.org/2023/02/23/when-i-covered-climate-change-for-reuters-i-thought-co2-was-to-blame-for-rising-temperatures-i-was-wrong/
  75. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, 60 years later, Fails Test of Time, WUWT: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/05/17/carsons-silent-spring-fails-test-of-time-new-york-times-verdict-in-2007/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=carsons-silent-spring-fails-test-of-time-new-york-times-verdict-in-2007
  76. John Kerry, Ties to Radical Environmental Groups, but kept secret, Oct. 2022, Fox News: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/republicans-probe-john-kerrys-ties-eco-groups-efforts-shield-oversight
  77. China Weaponization of Lawfare in the U.S.: https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/ccp-weaponizes-us-courts-to-silence-critics-harm-american-interests-congress-hears-5891196
  78. New York Post on John Podesta Giving $375Million  to Climate Groups at end of Biden Term, Aug. 2025: https://nypost.com/2025/03/05/business/john-podesta-375m-epa-slush-fund-gave-billions-to-newly-formed-charities/
  79. Climate Dispatch, Aug. 2025 on Climate Groups Funded by U.S. :  https://climatechangedispatch.com/john-podestas-epa-slush-fund-gave-billions-to-newly-formed-climate-groups/
  80. Thomas Shepstone on Environmental Extremists impact on NY Energy Policy: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#search/Environmental+Extremists/FMfcgzQbgcKkRXwtbDSGjHQRZHFspQKm
  81. CO2 Coalition Technical Papers Page: https://co2coalition.org/publication_category/white-papers-other-publications/
  82. Roy Spencer website and comments on DOE Report, July 2025: https://www.drroyspencer.com/2025/07/the-doe-scientific-report-underpinning-the-epas-decision-to-reconsider-the-2009-endangerment-finding-on-co2/
  83. Dept. of Energy Critical review of GHG Rules, July 2025: https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/DOE_Critical_Review_of_Impacts_of_GHG_Emissions_on_the_US_Climate.pdf
    https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2025-07/DOE_Critical_Review_of_Impacts_of_GHG_Emissions_on_the_US_Climate_July_2025.pdf
  84. How Governor Phil Murphy Caused New Jersey Electric Rates to Increase, WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/how-phil-murphy-caused-new-jersey-electricity-prices-to-soar-18c9e6ce?st=zmJNEE&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
  85. Renewables competing with Fossil Fuels, WUWT: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/07/13/the-conversation-renewable-energy-still-cannot-compete-with-oil-and-gas/
  86. President Trump News on $92 Billion Investments in PA for new Energy and AI Expansion: https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/07/president-trump-solidifies-u-s-position-as-leader-in-ai/
  87. The Coal Institute, July 14, 2025 Presentation by Dick Storm on the Importance of Coal: http://thecoalinstitute.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Dick%20Storm%20Presentation%20July%202025.pdf
  88. The Coal Institute, July 15th meeting, Chris Moran’s PJM Presentation: http://thecoalinstitute.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Chris%20Moran%20Presentation%20July%202025.pdf
  89. Wish Bakshi on LinkedIn, PJM Path Forward: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/wishbakshi_pjm-65-million-people-worlds-data-center-activity-7351242456325107713-y29V?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAI4KQUBYW-cbQRlA1kgj9X3llGi7u6KNnQ
  90. Mark Lewis on LinkedIn on new 3600 MW Gas Plant at site of Bruce Mansfield Coal Power Station: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7351562473512108033-VHZo?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAI4KQUBYW-cbQRlA1kgj9X3llGi7u6KNnQ
  91. G-E Vernova expansion to western PA, by Thomas Shepstone Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/the-power-plant-supply-chain-just?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
#Energyreality, Coal Power, economic prosperity and energy, Regulations

The Solution to the Nation’s Coming Electricity Reliability Crisis: Build New Coal Plants! Part 2

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President Trump’s acknowledgement of the importance of energy at the Pittsburgh Energy and AI Summit is appreciated. My suggestion to Governor Shapiro and state Legislators in the Great State of Pennsylvania is: Remove the Regulatory Obstacles that stand in the way of building new coal plants. Just a day before President Trump’s Summit, I presented my analysis of the need for new coal plants at the Coal Institute. Not only the need for new coal plants, but also the fact that the primary energy of coal is the only source to use for major Bulk Power generation, 24/7, affordable, Dispatchable, storable and proven, before 2035.

Coal remains an important source of primary energy. If the laws of Physics, Common-Sense and Economic sanity prevailed, America would be building at least a hundred fifty green field or updated design HELE coal plants to serve Pennsylvania and the growing U.S. Demand for electricity across all 50 states. At the end of my presentation to the coal Institute I included sobering facts and data on the use of coal by China. For the U.S. to win the competition with China for AI dominance and to reshore manufacturing to the U.S., more new plants delivering reliable, affordable, Dispatchable coal power are needed.

There is One Source of Primary Energy that Can Provide Fuel for the Extreme Growth of Electricity Demand in the next Ten Years, Coal!

The growing electricity Demand will be difficult to generate without significant additions of new Dispatchable generation. Natural gas is the predominant fuel of choice, the easy path for Utilities to add generation. However, there are limitations to continued growth of gas generation to let’s say 100,000 MW or more by 2032. Meanwhile, electricity Demand is soaring at over 2% per year and by 2032 the increased peak demand is likely to be in the magnitude of 250,000 MW more.

There is One Fuel that Can Generate the New Power Demand

Natural gas is already providing about 43% of U.S. power generation, the supply-chain for new gas plants is limited and the risk of a single point of failure of “just in time” gas supply, doesn’t seem prudent to me. Nuclear is highly regarded and hoped for. I support more new nuclear generation. However, green field nuclear capacity additions in the magnitude of 250,000 MW will take decades to accomplish. Keep in mind the existing nuclear fleet which generates about 18% of America’s electricity now is from old nuclear plants most of which are over 40 years old. It took about 30 years to build the existing 97,000 MW of nuclear generation capacity. The Georgia Power Plant Vogtle additions of units 3 & 4 about 2,200 MW took ten years to design and construct.

Solar capacity in this magnitude is not practical and should not be attempted due to the enormous land use required. The 800,00 MW expected to be needed by 2050 would require solar farms about the size of 1 1/2 states the size of South Carolina. So, solar has its limitations.

Planned Solar Generation in PJM

Chris Moran of PJM presented an excellent presentation to describe the operations of PJM and how the PJM Interconnection functions. A very informative and well prepared presentation. Near the end of Chris’s presentation he showed the planned new generation for the PJM territory. Here is a screen shot of one of the slides. Yes, 63% Solar.

Conclusions:

  • It is Impossible for Solar and Wind to meet the Demand for new electricity in Pennsylvania to satisfy the needs of new AI growth and electricity for the return of manufacturing to the U.S.
  • Natural Gas remains important, but PJM and most of America is already dependent on too much natural gas for Base Load generation
  • The Supply-Chain of equipment to build efficient gas turbine, combined cycle plants is already stretched to meet the surging Demand
  • New nuclear plants will take at least a decade to provide significant new Greenfield Bulk Power generation in the range of 10,000-20,000 MW’s of new capacity
  • Coal plants can be built in less than ten years
  • Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Wyoming, Illinois, Texas and other states have enormous reserves of high quality American Coal. We should use this Domestic Treasure of Primary Energy

It is my hope that Chris Wright and President Trump read this message. I strongly stand behind the talk I presented at the Coal Institute, this blog post and others that support coal power generation.

Yours Truly,

Dick Storm, July 19, 2025

References

#Energyreality, China, Coal Power, economic prosperity and energy

The Reality of Returning Major Power Generation Equipment Manufacturing to the U.S.

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Before I go any further please know that I support President Trump and his policies to return manufacturing to America. Ever since NAFTA in the 1990’s America has hemorrhaged manufacturing capacity. I presented my views on the harm of China entering the WTO in a 2016 presentation to the Delaware County Bar Association (PA) and also on my personal observations in Stanly County, NC during the 1990’s. Here and Here. The U.S. Climate policies begun during the Obama administration have destroyed over half of the U.S. Dispatchable, Reliable and Affordable coal power generation fleet. I wrote an article on, “How the War on Carbon weakens America and strengthens China” in 2021. This is a Self-Inflicted electricity generation crisis. The Obama and various NGO’s “War on Coal” killed about 125,000 MW of coal plant generation capacity and perhaps more egregiously along with them, the supply-chain to manufacture them.

So, what do we do now? (Hint: do as the Chinese are doing, read to the bottom)

The Challenge: Build 150,000 MW of New Gas, Nuclear and Coal Power Generation by 2030 and 800,000 MW of New Electricity Generation Capacity by 2050

For purposes of this essay the electricity growth of 150,000 MW of new electricity generation capacity is needed by 2030 and 800,000 MW by 2050.

Electricity Demand, According to ICF:

  • U.S. electricity demand is expected to grow 25% by 2030 and 78% by 2050
  • U.S. peak electricity demand is expected to grow 14% by 2030 and 54% through 2050
  • Residential retail rates could increase between 15% and 40% by 2030, depending on the local market

The Graph of Electricity Demand to 2050 below is from the ICF Report, May 2025. Notice they show coal power disappearing by 2040. 78% growth in 2050 is adding 1,014,000 MW to the current 1,300,000 MW of currently installed generation capacity. The 1,300 GW number is from America’s Public Power.

I tend to agree on the ICF load growth forecast but not on the exit of coal.

I believe the enormous generation growth from wind, solar, hydrogen, battery and geothermal is wishful thinking, a fantasy that many Bureaucrats, politicians and sadly, state policymakers and “Woke” Utility execs seem to believe.

Plans to exit coal are neither prudent or realistic. It is a Self-Inflicted limit to economic growth and if continued, will cause electricity Rationing.

Dave Walsh and myself participated in a panel discussion at Liberty University’s CEO Summit in Sept. 2024. The title of the panel was “Impacts of the Self-Inflicted Electricity Generation Crisis”. We laid out our views of the destruction of reliable, affordable, dispatchable power generation that was being destroyed by so called, “Climate Policies”. This loss of reliable generation capacity without replacement in-kind has created a future electricity generation crisis. Two previous articles cover the facts and information of our presentations at Liberty University, here and here.

Shortages and Rationing of Electricity

Rationing is referred to by Utilities, ICF, other recognized consultants and Bureaucrats as “Demand Response”. It simply means that electricity will be rationed for charging your EV or running your air conditioner at the whim of your electricity provider. Why? because no utility or IPP is accountable for planning future generation as integrated Regional Utilities once were such as the old Duke Power of the 1970’s, Philadelphia Electric, Santee-Cooper and hundreds more. Worse yet, unreliable, intermittent solar and wind has been forced onto the Grid with tax subsidies, thus weakening Grid reliability when power is needed at peak periods.

Demand Response sounds less threatening to the public than “Rationing”. Unfortunately, the path forward by many (most) Utilities is a path of shortages and rationing, by intention. Remember the old phrase? “Failing to plan is planning for failure”?

Power for the U.S.A

Power for the U.S.A. was the title of Donn Dears website, and I find it useful here. Donn Dears last book “Clean Energy Crisis” offered Donn’s calculations of what he forecasted as being needed by 2050 if all electricity was to be generated by carbon free sources. Here is what Mr. Dears calculated in 2023, before the AI Demand became so well publicized:

Donn Dears Forecast on “New Carbon-Free Generation Needed by 2050”:

  • 881 new nuclear plants equivalent to Plant Vogtle’s last two units, each about 1,100 mw’s
  • 3,918,996 MW of new solar plus BESS (Battery Electric Storage Systems to back it up at night)
  • 995,141 wind turbines of 2.5 MW each.

In conclusion, Mr. Dears states this is unachievable. So do I believe that building 881 new nuclear plants by 2050 is unrealistic. Many other’s who are experienced in power generation share these concerns of supply chain weakness.

A previous blog article discussed the “Clean Energy Crisis” and referenced Mr. Dears book. Then, Ron Stein and myself coauthored an article on a path forward with conventional forms of electricity generation, here. Let’s expand that discussion to show the challenge of building 150,000 MW of new coal electricity generation plants and 400,000 MW of new nuclear plants. It is a given that by 2050 gas turbine powered generating plants can be built to make up the difference, but not ALL. Keep in mind, some forecasts predict that over 1,000 GW of new 24/7 electricity generation will be required by 2050. Therefore, the new capacity discussed herein is very conservative.

The Supply-Chain for 125,000-150,000 MW of New Coal Power Generation

America had the manufacturing capacity in 2008 to build 150,000 MW of new coal plants. In fact, over 150 new plants were well along in the planning stages then, before the Obama Carbon Mandate killed them.

Energy and Electricity are the Economy. Electricity has been the Life-Blood of the economy of any Developed or Developing nation for over 100 years. To not plan for adequate primary energy and electricity generation for the future is to be un-American or even, anti-American. Let’s get into what I suggest.

Examples of Manufacturing Capacity that Need to be Replaced

Somehow….America needs Capital Investment in similar facilities as the Combustion-Engineering’s Chattanooga works had in 1975. This needs to be started ASAP. Here is an aerial picture of this magnificent facility when it was in operation.

The facility was over 88 acres under roof and included capabilities for manufacturing steel tubing, waterwalls, heavy walled headers, fabrication of tube assemblies as described above for the Roxboro superheater and also nuclear reactors and steam generators. I intentionally used the adjective magnificent to describe it. Here is a quote from my friend Tom who worked at C-E during this time period:

“I did a stint at CE in Chattanooga and still vividly recall the enormity of  the manufacturing capability. For instance 15,000 ton press that could bend 12” thick steel  Into a cylinder for a completed  nuclear vessel weighing 700 tons.

A Gang drill setup to drill 1600 holes through a 26” Inconel tube sheet for nuclear PWR steam generators. 

1000 ton crane to handle these fabrications and heat treat furnaces large enough to stress relieve them before shipment. What an experience to view and work with these marvels.”

The facility evolved and progressed over many years to become the pearl of manufacturing prowess that it was in 1975. Combustion-Engineering in these times was capable of producing steam generators that could power about 25,000 MW of electricity generation capacity each year. The business volume in 1977 dollars was about $1 Billion/year. The manufacturing volume was almost equal to the business profits of aftermarket maintenance and repairs. Being outstanding in design, manufacturing and services was a huge business for tens of thousands of employees. In 1978 Combustion-Engineering was # 125 on the Fortune 500 list of companies. Two competitors during this era with facilities similar to Combustion-Enegineering were Babcock & Wilcox and Foster-Wheeler. B&W was # 132 on Fortune’s list and Foster-Wheeler # 207.

Today Combustion Engineering and Foster-Wheeler U.S. shops are gone, B&W’s downsized but, thankfully, still in operation.

Recently I discussed a replacement/repair of a high pressure header for an existing Utility coal steam generator in Texas. I was told the header is on emergency order and it will be on site this fall. The header is sourced from somewhere in Asia and welding of tube studs and completion of fabrication will be done in South Carolina. This is bout 24 weeks lead time for just one header. I described a 1,350 MW steam generator in a previous article, here. Just to show a rough idea of the immensity of a large coal supercritical steam generator. The one described is the B&W Zimmer Plant, supercritical steam generator.

How About Nuclear Manufacturing in the U.S.?

One of my first positions in the power industry was working at Babcock & Wilcox’s Barberton facilities as a Technical Assistant to the Project Engineer for the design and fabrication of the Duke Power Oconee Nuclear Steam System (NSS). At that time, B&W had over 30,000 employees. Facilities about equally capable to the C-E Chattanooga Works described above. B&W has since been separated into two fine companies B&W and BWXT and are still capable of building both coal and nuclear power generation equipment. However, this manufacturing capacity, as far as I know, is downsized from that in place in the early 1970’s before the Three Mile Island incident. A previous article covers manufacturing in the 1970’s here.

Compare Current U.S. Nuclear Plans with World

America has more operating nuclear plants than any other country. However, the average age of these is over 40 years. America’s nuclear fleet was built between 1960 and 1990. For NEW Nuclear, here is the chart by the World Nuclear Association:

The chart below is China’s current electricity generation by fuel, according to the EIA. Yes, it is 60% coal, 14% hydro, 18% renewables and 5% nuclear power for electricity generation as of this writing. The fact is, China is continuing to operate old and to also build new coal plants as required to power their economic and industrial growth. Yes, they also are building new renewables and nuclear for a Balanced generation portfolio. It is hard to criticize this approach to powering the future. America should do likewise.

Conclusions

  • President Trump’s Executive Orders which declared an electricity generation emergency are in fact, correct. America does have a crisis of the supply-chain to build the new 24/7 electricity generation capacity needed in the future. It will be difficult to build the needed generation capacity due to the hollowing out of the Supply-Chain
  • The destruction of reliable coal plants without replacing them in-kind has been wrong and reckless. This is the root cause of the electricity generation crisis.
  • Those policymakers that have engaged in the “War on Coal” are related to or aligned with advocates of Socialism and Communism. The Capital Research Center, General Robert Spaulding, Frank Gaffney and the Center for Present Danger China and others have linked foreign entities to the “Red-Green New Deal” that is at the root of the Self-Sabotage of our reliable forms of electricity generation through China’s “Unrestricted Warfare”.
  • The Shortages of electricity and resulting Rationing (aka Demand Response) will be worse during peak Demand periods, July-August and December-February
  • Building 150,000 MW of new electricity generation capacity that is dispatchable by 2030 will be difficult unless all proven 24/7 affordable electricity generation fuels are included, including coal, nuclear and gas.
  • The U.S. Supply-Chain for critical manufacturing of steam generators, transformers, pumps, feed water heaters, nuclear reactor pressure vessels, nuclear steam generators and other equipment has been harmed by U.S. businesses and government out sourcing too much manufacturing to China.
  • Building the electricity generation capacity needed will require much more training of talent in the workforce because, as the Supply-Chain of U.S. power equipment manufacturing has withered, many of the experienced craft persons and engineers have found other work or retired.

Respectfully,

Dick Storm, June 1, 2025

References and sources for further research:

  1. ICF Consulting, Electricity Demand ForecastReport: https://www.icf.com/news/2025/05/electricity-demand-expected-to-grow-25-percent-by-2030
  2. Dick Storm Probizblog, May 2, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/05/02/clean-energy-crisis-2/
  3. The Challenge of Building 125,000 MW of new coal plants: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/05/07/the-reality-of-building-125-gw-of-new-coal-plant-generation-capacity-then-and-now/
  4. POWER Magazine June 2006 Cover Story, Coal Fired Plant Capacity Continues to Increase : https://www.powermag.com/cover-story-coal-fired-electric-power-capacity-continues-to-increase/
  5. Global Energy Monitor Proposed Coal Plants Planned in 2007: https://www.gem.wiki/Proposed_coal_plants_in_the_United_States
  6. Global Energy Monitor (GEMS) https://www.gem.wiki/Category:Proposed_coal_plants_in_the_United_Stateshttps://www.gem.wiki/Category:Proposed_coal_plants_in_the_United_States
  7. GEMS, “What Happened to the 151 Coal Plants” updated by GEMS 2017: https://www.gem.wiki/What_happened_to_the_151_proposed_coal_plants%3F
  8. NETL Report on Status of New Coal Plants 2010: https://www.netl.doe.gov/projects/files/TrackingNewCoalFiredPowerPlants_010810.pdf
  9. GEMS-2021 Boom and Bust Status of World Coal Plants: https://globalenergymonitor.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/BoomAndBust_2021_final.pdf
  10. Oil Price.com 2012 report on 1200 Coal Plants being built worldwide: https://preprod.oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/1200-New-Coal-Plants-Planned-for-Construction-Around-the-World.html
  11. Capital Research Center update of 2010 of the Sierra Club “War on Coal”: https://capitalresearch.org/article/the-sierra-clubs-war-on-coal/
  12. IEFA Report U.S. on Track to Close Half of Total Coal Generation by 2026: https://ieefa.org/resources/us-track-close-half-coal-capacity-2026
  13.  Obama’s Carbon Mandate, 114th Congress, 2015: https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/3/8/386eb25d-b723-4ffd-9fcf-218425a33191/18EF72E5A9E08E51C8DD45F4B0DD29BD.epw-staff-report-obama-carbon-mandate.pdf
  14. B&W Technologies BWXT: https://www.bwxt.com
  15. Babcock & Wilcox Company, Akron, Ohio: https://www.babcock.com/home/thermal/steam-generators/utility-scale-boilers/
  16. U.S. Current Electricity Generation, Installed Capacity as of 2025 by America’s Public Power: https://www.publicpower.org/system/files/documents/Americas-Electricity-Generation-Capacity-2025-Update.pdf
  17. EPOCH Times article on President Trump’s EO on increasing new nuclear plant construction: https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-signs-executive-orders-to-boost-us-nuclear-industry-5862550
  18. WNA Data Base of Nuclear Plants in the World: https://world-nuclear.org/nuclear-reactor-database/summary
    Power Magazine Commentary by Don Grace on lessons learned at Vogtle: https://www.powermag.com/what-was-learned-from-building-new-nuclear-reactors/
  19. Bechtel website on Vogtle and Nuclear Plant experience: https://www.bechtel.com/projects/vogtle-units-3-and-4/c
    U.S. Dept. of Energy Fact sheet on Vogtle: https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/5-things-you-should-know-about-plant-vogtle
  20. Plant Vogtle Reactors, report by Stanford Univ. 2017: http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2017/ph241/vandegraaf2/
  21. TVA Infor on new SMR Permitting: https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-signs-executive-orders-to-boost-us-nuclear-industry-5862550
  22. Vogtle Turbogenerator installed, May 2016 WNA News: https://www.world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Generator-equipment-in-place-at-Vogtle-3 c
  23. Westinghouse Manufacturing in New Hampshire: https://info.westinghousenuclear.com/blog/nuclear-components-manufacturing 
  24. Westinghouse Low Enriched Uranium manufacturing in U.S. : https://worldbusinessoutlook.com/westinghouse-announces-the-reach-of-commercialization-of-leu-fuel-in-the-u-s/
  25. ICF Report, April 2025 on New Nuclear Plants: https://www.icf.com/insights/energy/nuclear-energy-growth-factors?utm_source=pdf&utm_medium=document&utm_campaign=3642_Electricity_DemandGrowth_Report
  26. China References-2025 EIA China Energy: https://www.eia.gov/international/overview/country/CHN
  27. Energy, Security and Freedom article by Thomas J. Shepstone and Doug Sheridan on the 2022 Charade & Corruption of Green Energy: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/enough-of-the-spin-and-pr-speak-lets?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  28. The Coming Electricity Reliability Crisis and the Importance of Coal, Sept. 12, 2024:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/09/12/the-electricity-reliability-crisis-and-the-importance-of-american-coal/
  29. The Kingdom of Heaven Runs on Righteousness, The Kingdom of Earth Runs on Energy, Oct. 3, 2024:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/10/03/heaven-runs-on-righteousness-earth-runs-on-energy/
  30. The Rise and Fall of Nations from the perspective of nuclear power systems manufacturing: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/08/15/the-rise-fall-and-rise-again-of-nations-and-the-realities-of-energy/
  31. Thomas J. Shepstone posting on Substack of,  “Energy Matters If You Value the Life You Now Have and Don’t Want to Live Under Socialism“: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/energy-matters-if-you-value-the-life?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
  32. CommitteePresentDangerChinaInsideourwires: https://presentdangerchina.org/webinar-inside-our-wires-the-ccp-has-penetrated-our-electric-grid-will-xi-destroy-it/
  33. China References-2025 EIA China Energy: https://www.eia.gov/international/overview/country/CHN
  34. Dick Storm Blog, “Threats to the U.S. Grid: Threats to the Electric Grid,  (Most threats, self-inflicted) March 15, 2024:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/15/threats-to-the-grid-electricity-reliability/
  35. Visual Capitalist on Industrial Growth of China and U.S. : https://www.voronoiapp.com/economy/-Industrial-Production-in-China-Up-37-Since-2019–4873
  36. Committee for Present Danger China: https://presentdangerchina.org
  37. China Transformers with hidden “Backdoors” for Cyber Attack: Texas, 2021: https://texasscorecard.com/commentary/waller-chinese-backdoor-threatens-next-texas-blackout/
  38. Industrial Cyber:  https://industrialcyber.co/threats-attacks/chinese-transformers-in-critical-electric-sector-confirmed-by-two-us-administrations/
  39. WSJ on Houston Transformer from China being taken to Sandia Labs for Inspection, 2020: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-seizure-of-chinese-built-transformer-raises-specter-of-closer-scrutiny-11590598710
  40. CBN Report 2022 on Risk of Chinese Transformers to our Grid: https://cbn.com/news/us/cyber-pearl-harbor-how-china-built-backdoor-threat-could-take-down-us-electric-grid
  41. Energy Supply-Chain Risks- Lawfare Media- 2020: https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/energy-grid-supply-chain-risks-and-us-china-entanglement  
  42. Utility Dive on Vulnerability of Grid to Chinese Transformers April- 2023: https://www.utilitydive.com/news/chinese-supply-chains-for-critical-infrastructure-threaten-the-us-power-gri/644505/
  43. Center for Security Policy Sept. 2021: https://centerforsecuritypolicy.org/houston-has-a-problem-chinese-backdoor-threatens-next-texas-blackout/
  44. Power Transformer News, May 2023: https://www.powertransformernews.com/2023/03/28/extent-of-chinese-made-components-in-u-s-electrical-grid-still-unknown/
  45. POWER Magazine, June 2024 on Power Transformers long lead times: https://www.powermag.com/the-transformer-crisis-an-industry-on-the-brink/
  46. Utility Dive article on long lead times (80-120 months for large high voltage transformers) Feb. 2025 : https://www.utilitydive.com/news/electric-transformer-shortage-nrel-niac/738947/
  47. Wood Mackensie report on large Transformers, April 2025: https://www.woodmac.com/news/opinion/supply-shortages-and-an-inflexible-market-give-rise-to-high-power-transformer-lead-times/
  48. InfluenceWatch on NRDC: https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/natural-resources-defense-council-nrdc/ (see the section on connections to the Chinese)
  49. InfluenceWatch on Sierra Club: https://capitalresearch.org/article/influencewatch-friday-5-24-2024/
  50. InfluenceWatch on Energy Foundation: https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/energy-foundation/
  51. InfluenceWatch on Energy Foundation China: https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/energy-foundation-china/
  52. NGOs and Nuke Power: https://capitalresearch.org/article/nuclear-energy-rich-climate-ngos-have-nuked-clean-power/
  53. Bident grants for anti-nuclear NGOs: https://capitalresearch.org/article/biden-administration-approved-485-million-for-anti-nuclear-nonprofits/
  54. Robert Spaulding on China’s “Unrestricted Warfare” 2020 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT8LRZAonQA
  55. WION, New Delhi- Gravitas, with Palki Sharma Upadhyay, About May 2021:     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO86N0W0qco
  56. National security white paper marks China’s push for global order on its terms: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/national-security-white-paper-marks-chinas-push-for-global-order-on-its-terms/articleshow/121330816.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
  57. “Unrestricted Warfare” approach of the CCP to weaken America through non-kinetic means: https://archive.org/details/unrestricted-warfare
  58. The book, “Unrestricted Warfare” available on Amazon: Unrestricted Warfare: China’s Master Plan to Destroy America Paperback – November 10, 2015 by  Qiao Liang  (Author), Wang Xiangsui  (Author)
  59. U.S. War on Carbon Accomplishes Two Things, Weakens America, Enriches China, Jan. 30, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/01/30/us-war-on-carbon-accomplishes-two-things/
  60.  Blue Planet in Green Shackles, What is Endangered, Climate or Freedom”: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-nD
  61. POWER Magazine on the surge in Gas Turbine sales, four year lead times, April 2025: https://www.powermag.com/gas-powers-boom-sparks-a-turbine-supply-crunch/
  62. President Trump’s Executive Orders on Electricity Generation and Grid Security/Reliability, Fact Sheet, April 2025: https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/04/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-strengthens-the-reliability-and-security-of-the-united-states-electric-grid/

#Energyreality, Coal Power, economic prosperity and energy

The Solution to the Nation’s Coming Electricity Reliability Crisis: Build New Coal Plants!

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Thank you President Trump for your leadership and courage to support American Energy Independence and to start a new Golden Age of Economic Prosperity. A thriving economy today is powered by electricity and the electricity Demand is growing at the highest rate in decades. According to Utility Dive and Grid Strategies: “U.S. electricity demand could rise 128 GW over the next five years, driven by data centers and manufacturing growth primarily in six regions of the country, according to a report published Thursday by Grid Strategies. The “shocking” estimate represents a five-fold increase in load growth forecasts over the past two years”

POWER Magazine Headline in the April edition:

Nation’s Power Operators Warn Congress of a Coming Reliability Shortfall

“Explosive Load Growth Is Now a Certainty—Driven Largely by Data Centers and AI”

The forecasted shortages are serious. As this is written, it is “Outage Season” in April when electric Demand has typically been very low due to naturally mild temperatures not requiring much air conditioning and very little heating of the lower 48 states. PJM is a good example of the forecast for peak summer and winter loads in just the next few years. As published in POWER Magazine….

“Projected growth: PJM expects its summer peak to increase by approximately 70 GW-from 150 GW in 2024 to 220 GW by 2039-nearly 47% rise over 15 years. Winter peaks could climb to 210 GW by 2039, a 45% increase from the current winter peak of 144 GW.

What to Do?……..

My Suggestion: Build New Coal Plants

Here are my suggestions regarding a Balanced Energy Portfolio which uses coal for at least 30% of America’s electricity generation portfolio. Fred Palmer and Frank Clemente wrote an excellent article on the “Value of Coal”, here. Another, “Subsidized Solar and Wind Is Undermining the Grid, While Coal Provides Reliable Baseload Power, But Trump Is On It!” by Thomas J. Shepstone and the IER here.

Four of my previous articles on the importance of coal power as a significant source of primary energy are here, here, here and here.

The Importance of Primary Energy

America is facing a shortage of reliable, affordable and Dispatchable electricity generation. As summarized in Palmer and Clemente’s Value of Coal article, coal is a proven source of primary energy that meets all three criteria, affordable, Dispatchable and reliable. In addition, it is on-site storable energy. The experiences and end results of using renewables has been much higher costs and less reliability than coal. I wrote an article with electricity price comparisons of the states with the highest cost electricity compared to those states and countries using a high percentage of coal. The highest cost electricity is in states which are on a path to shut down coal plants and use more wind and solar, such as Hawaii, California, Massachusetts, CT, RI and Maine.

The U.S. electricity generation growth is expected to double by 2050. Remember the governments encouragement and EV policies to “Electrify Everything”? We cannot electrify everything, but the electric Demand is likely to double by 2050. Therefore, providing new generation capacity to meet that growth can and should be by the building of new American made coal power plants. Why not Nuclear? Sure, new nuclear plants should be built too. However, new nuclear plants are, in my estimation, more than ten years out due to limitations of the Supply-Chain and (even with President Trump) NRC permitting. The coal plant Supply-Chain and talent can, in my experience and opinion, be ramped up faster than nuclear. Thus, the case for constructing new coal plants ASAP. Back to primary energy. electricity is secondary energy. It must be generated by the use of primary energy and as I wrote in my commentary in POWER Magazine in 2021, “Thermal Power is #1”

Conclusions of How to Solve the Electricity Generation Capacity Crisis

The forecast of needing 128 GW of new electricity generation capacity by 2030 is very close to the total capacity (125 GW) of coal plant shutdowns since 2013. So, why not replace at least that quantity of electricity generation with new clean coal plants?

The Supply-Chain for building new coal plants could in fact be ramped up faster (but NOT Fast enough) than the Supply-Chain for new nuclear generation capacity in the same time period. The Gas Turbine Supply-Chain is already at capacity and new gas turbines have lead times of four or five years.

Building 128 GW of new coal plant capacity is a huge undertaking. I have written before about my personal experiences at the Roxboro Generating Station and other 2,000+ MW Coal Plants. It took over fifteen years to build all four units at Roxboro, (first commercial operations 1966-1980), Each unit required about 2,000 skilled craftsmen to construct the units. The 128 GW figure represents over 50 plants the size of Roxboro. To construct a 2,462 MW coal plant it would take about 80,000 tons of structural steel, a million tons of concrete and tens of thousands of miles of wire and yes, likely more than ten years to complete from permitting, design, component manufacturing and field construction stages through commercial operation. Just one of the four units, Roxboro #3 became a contract in 1968 and began commercial operations in 1973. It took two more years of debugging to reach full capacity. I know, I was the lead startup engineer. That was then and with a vibrant and capable supply chain.

From a skilled talent perspective, this is a lot of engineers for design, Boilermakers, Pipe fitters, Iron Workers, Instrument Technicians, electricians and many more skills for the construction. Than there is the manufacturing supply-chain. One example is the once magnificent Manufacturing facilities at Combustion-Engineering’s Chattanooga Works. Now this is gone. A previous article covered the power generation supply-chain of the 1970’s here…The challenge is formidable, we should start now.

Warm regards,

Dick Storm, April 18, 2025

References and Information for Further Research on “How we Got Here” the Importance of Primary Energy and more for your reading enjoyment and enlightenment of energy policies in America.

  1. “The Value of Coal”, Coal Zoom by Fred Palmer and Frank Clemente, March 2025: https://www.coalzoom.com/article.cfm?articleid=39111
  2. Visualizing 100 Quadrillion BTUs. Shouldn’t Coal Remain in our Energy Mix?” : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/07/02/visualizing-100-quadrillion-btus-of-primary-energy-coal-should-remain-in-our-energy-mix/
  3. Coal’s Final Battle, May 18, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/05/20/coals-final-battle/
  4. The Reality of Electrifying Everything,  April 9, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/04/09/the-reality-of-electrifying-everything-and-the-primary-energy-required-to-generate-the-electricity/
  5. Threats to the Electric Grid, March 15, 2024:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/15/threats-to-the-grid-electricity-reliability/
  6. Giant Sucking Sound, March 18, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/18/giant-sucking-sound/
  7. Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 2, The Reality of Replacing Conventional Forms of Energy, Jan. 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/02/06/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-part-2-some-facts-on-the-reality-of-replacing-conventional-forms-of-energy/
  8.  Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 3, The Transition that Isn’t, from the perspective of Minerals, Feb. 8, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/02/08/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-part-3-the-transition-that-isnt-from-the-perspective-of-minerals/
  9. The Rise and Fall and Rise Again  of Nations and the  Realities of Energy: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/08/15/the-rise-fall-and-rise-again-of-nations-and-the-realities-of-energy/
  10. America Needs 100 Quadrillion BTUs of Primary Energy Each Year, May 16, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/16/back-to-basics-the-u-s-needs-100-quadrillion-btus-year-of-primary-energy/  
  11.  Pillars of Modern Civilization, Ammonia, Food, Steel, Concrete, Plastics, Aluminum, July 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/25/pillars-of-modern-civilization-all-dependent-on-energy/
  12. How Can a 6,000 MW Utility that will be a 9,000MW Utility in 2050, become Net-Zero Carbon? April 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/04/27/how-can-a-6000-mw-regional-utility-in-2030-which-likely-will-be-a-9000-mw-utility-in-2050-achieve-net-zero-carbon/
  13. America’s Treasure of Fossil Fuels, Update of 2011 presentation to ASME: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/11/26/americas-treasure-of-fossil-fuels/
  14.  American Dream = 100 Quadrillion BTUs per Year April 7, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/04/american-dream-100-quadrillion-btus/
  15.   Providing a Sustainable Million BTUs per Day/Person, May 17,  2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/05/17/providing-a-sustainable-million-btus-per-day-per-person-by-fuel-source/
  16.  A Short History of Power Generation, Part 1, 1850-1955, January 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/01/14/a-short-history-of-energy-electricity-and-how-our-high-quality-of-living-came-to-be-high-human-development-index-part-1-1850-1955/
  17.  A Short History of Power Generation, Part 2:  https://wp.me/p5DzAo-k6
  18.  A Short History of Power Generation, Part 3: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-ll
  19.  A Short History of Power Generation, Part 4: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-n4
  20. Energy=Life as We Enjoy it, Aug. 22, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/08/22/energy-life-that-is-life-as-we-enjoy-it/
  21. POWER Magazine commentary by Dick Storm, “All Fuels are Important but Thermal Power Generation is Still Number 1” https://www.powermag.com/blog/all-fuels-are-important-but-thermal-power-generation-is-still-number-1/
  22. Subsidized Solar and Wind Is Undermining the Grid, While Coal Provides Reliable Baseload Power, But Trump Is On It!Thomas J. Shepstone and the Institute for Energy Research, March 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/coal-a-reliable-baseload-power-vs?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  23. POWER Magazine Jan. 2025 on Forecasted Power Shortages of PJM: https://www.powermag.com/pjm-facing-capacity-shortage-as-early-as-2026-2027-delivery-year-agrees-to-lower-auction-price-cap/
  24. Power Magazine, April 2025 on Electricity Growth and Five RTO’s Warning FERC of Generation Capacity Shortages in the Future: https://www.powermag.com/nations-power-operators-warn-congress-of-a-coming-reliability-shortfall/?utm_source=omeda&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=pwrnews+eletter&oly_enc_id=3214I3524889A9B
  25. Coal Power, It is the End Result that Matters!:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/03/28/coal-power-it-is-the-end-result-that-counts/
  26. Lars Schernikau Newsletter on the impact of failed energy policies on German Industry : https://sh1.sendinblue.com/3gvdip76f0lpfe.html?t=1744529565190
  27. EIA List or Electricity Generation Plants by Fuel Source 2013-2023: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/annual/table.php?t=epa_04_02_a.html
  28. Wake Up America! Sept. 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/09/20/please-wake-up-america-your-energy-and-electricity-generation-reliability-are-at-risk/
  29.  Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 1,  79 Quadrillion BTUs, The Enormity of the Fossil Energy Systems Providing Sustainable Lives, Jan. 11, 2024 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/01/11/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-part-1-79-quadrillion-btusthe-enormity-of-the-fossil-energy-systems-providing-sustainable-lives/
  30.  Influencers of U.S. Energy Policy, January 3, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/01/04/influencers-of-american-energy-policy/
  31. Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 2, The Reality of Replacing Conventional Forms of Energy, Jan. 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/02/06/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-part-2-some-facts-on-the-reality-of-replacing-conventional-forms-of-energy/
  32.  Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 3, The Transition that Isn’t, from the perspective of Minerals, Feb. 8, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/02/08/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-part-3-the-transition-that-isnt-from-the-perspective-of-minerals/
  33. Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 4, The True Agenda for Climate Policies, Feb. 13, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/02/13/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-electricity-generation-and-environmental-protection-part-4-what-is-the-true-agenda-for-climate-policies/
  34. Energy Matters! March 2024 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/11/energy-matters/
  35. Update on Hawaii’s “Green New Deal” March 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/20/hawaii-a-glimpse-into-the-future-of-the-green-new-deal-aka-inflation-reduction-act-here-is-an-update/
  36. The Rise and Fall of Nations from the perspective of nuclear power systems manufacturing: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/08/15/the-rise-fall-and-rise-again-of-nations-and-the-realities-of-energy/
  37. Thomas J. Shepstone posting on Substack of,  “Energy Matters If You Value the Life You Now Have and Don’t Want to Live Under Socialism March 11, 2024: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/energy-matters-if-you-value-the-life?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email  
  38.  Threats to the Electric Grid, March 15, 2024:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/15/threats-to-the-grid-electricity-reliability/
  39. Giant Sucking Sound, March 18, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/18/giant-sucking-sound/
  40. “Update on Hawaii’s Glimpse of the Future of the Green New Deal” March 20, 2024:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/20/hawaii-a-glimpse-into-the-future-of-the-green-new-deal-aka-inflation-reduction-act-here-is-an-update/
  41. The Reality of Electrifying Everything,  April 9, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/04/09/the-reality-of-electrifying-everything-and-the-primary-energy-required-to-generate-the-electricity/
  42. Am I Missing Something? Here is an Update on Hyundai’s Commitment to their EV Meta Plant in Georgia:   https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/04/14/am-i-missing-something-on-evs-here-is-an-update-on-hyundais-meta-plant-commitment-to-evs-and-hydrogen-vehicles/
  43. Tom Shepstone post on Substack of Dick Storm letter to Senator Tom Davis: https://energysecurityfreedom.substack.com/p/a-balanced-energy-portfolio-is-critical/comments
  44. Dick Storm LI Post on SC Energy policies and failed coal and nuclear plant plans: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7184184178920312833?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  45. Saving America: Issues that Matter, April 28, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/04/29/saving-america-from-destructive-policies-the-real-issues-that-matter-part-1/
  46. How Can a 6,000 MW Utility in 2030 Become a 9,000 MW Utility in 2050 and Still Meet Net Zero Carbon? Update of last year’s article, May 2, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/05/02/how-can-a-6000-mw-regional-utility-in-2030-which-likely-will-be-a-9000-mw-utility-in-2050-achieve-net-zero-carbon-an-update-on-my-electricity-provider-in-south-carolina/
  47. Coal’s Final Battle, May 18, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/05/20/coals-final-battle/
  48. Tom Shepstone’s Substack repost of Dick Storm commentary, May 20, 2024: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/why-we-the-american-people-must-win?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
  49. Visualizing 100 Quadrillion BTUs. Shouldn’t Coal Remain in our Energy Mix?” : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/07/02/visualizing-100-quadrillion-btus-of-primary-energy-coal-should-remain-in-our-energy-mix/
  50. We the People vs. The Ten Headed Swamp Monster     :  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/07/10/we-the-people-vs-net-zero-indoctrination-by-the-ten-headed-swamp-monster/
  51. The Magnificent and Indispensable Heat Engines Society Depends on: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/07/30/the-magnificent-and-indispensable-heat-engine-on-which-civil-society-depends-part-1-heat-engines-1-3-million-horsepower/ 
  52. The Magnificent and Indispensable Heat Engine, Part II, Focus on Ocean Shipping: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/08/07/the-magnificent-and-indispensable-heat-engine-on-which-civil-society-depends-part-ii-focus-on-fossil-fuels-for-ocean-shipping/
  53. The Magnificent and Indispensable Heat Engine, Part III, August 13, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/08/13/the-magnificent-and-indispensable-heat-engine-on-which-civil-society-depends-part-iii-internal-combustion-engines-up-to-110000-horsepower/
  54. The Coming Electricity Reliability Crisis and the Importance of Coal, Sept. 12, 2024:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/09/12/the-electricity-reliability-crisis-and-the-importance-of-american-coal/
  55. The Kingdom of Heaven Runs on Righteousness, The Kingdom of Earth Runs on Energy, Oct. 3, 2024:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/10/03/heaven-runs-on-righteousness-earth-runs-on-energy/
  56. Charley Reese’s Last Column, “545 vs. 300,000,000 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/11/27/charley-reeses-last-column-a-classic-commentary-written-over-twenty-years-ago/
  57.  Why is Western Civilization Self Sabotaging the Primary Energy that Provides 80% of the fuel for America’s Life-Blood of Reliable Electricity, with the War on Carbon?.     : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/12/17/why-is-western-civilization-self-sabotaging-the-primary-energy-sources-that-provide-80-of-the-fuel-for-americas-life-blood-of-reliable-electricity-with-the-war-on-carbon/
  58. Musings on the Self-Sabotaging Energy Policies and a Reminder of the History of the Rise and Fall of Nations:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/01/13/musings-on-self-sabotaging-energy-policies-and-a-reminder-of-the-history-of-the-rise-and-fall-of-nations/
  59. The EPA “Endangerment Finding” and why it Needs to Go, Feb. 2, 2025: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-1ZW
  60. The SWAMP MONSTER vs. 300 Million Americans, Feb. 21, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/02/21/the-swamp-monster-vs-the-best-interests-of-the-united-states-of-america/
  61. Thomas J. Shepstone Substack on Dick Storm’s “Primer on How to Ensure Electricity Security (and How to Destroy It)”:  https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/a-primer-on-how-to-ensure-energy?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false 
  62.  Existing EPA-Endangerment Rules Impact South Carolina Electricity Costs and Will Cause Rationing if the EPA Endangerment Finding Isn’t Repealed  Feb. 28, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/02/28/existing-epa-rules-increase-costs-and-will-cause-rationing-of-electricity-in-south-carolina-if-endangerment-finding-is-not-repealed/
  63. Duke Energy web page for Roxboro Coal Plant: https://www.duke-energy.com/our-company/about-us/power-plants/roxboro-plant
  64. NMA Map of Electricity Prices and coal power in lower 48 states: https://nma.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/coal-gen-map-2023.pdf
  65. WSJ article on “Economic Growth Depends on Electricity, Not Oil”, March 27, 2025: https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/economic-growth-now-depends-on-electricity-not-oil-40250941?st=cbzcRt  
  66. Bjorn Lomberg on the High Cost of Solar and Wind, Climate Change Dispatch, Jan. 2, 2025: https://climatechangedispatch.com/wind-solar-hidden-truth-behind-rising-electric-bills/
  67. Frazer Institute, “Hot Air, Cold Truths, Bjorn Lomberg, March 2025: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/hot-air-and-cold-truths-bjorn-lomborg
  68. Delaware County Insider, Wind and Solar are Expensive, Bjorn Lomberg, May 24,  2024: https://delawarevalleyjournal.com/lomborg-the-true-cost-of-wind-and-solar-energy/
  69. Yahoo Finance and National Post, March 2025, Bjorn Lomberg, Wind and Solar are Expensive: https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/bjorn-lomborg-solar-wind-power-100008520.html
  70. NERC Long Term Reliability Assessment Report and including, Data Center Load Growth, December 2024: https://www.nerc.com/pa/RAPA/ra/Reliability%20Assessments%20DL/NERC_Long%20Term%20Reliability%20Assessment_2024.pdf
  71. Beautiful Clean Coal and it is Affordable too, Stephen Heins, Isaac Orr and Mitch Rolling! https://open.substack.com/pub/stephenheins/p/headline-beautiful-clean-coal-is?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
  72. We Need More Energy, Lots More Energy, by Stephen Heins, Chris Wright and Shan Sankara : https://open.substack.com/pub/stephenheins/p/headline-chris-wright-by-shan-sankara?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  73. POWER Magazine on the surge in Gas Turbine sales, four year lead times, April 2025: https://www.powermag.com/gas-powers-boom-sparks-a-turbine-supply-crunch/

#Energyreality, Coal Power, Energy, Electricity, Economic Prosperity and Environmental Protection, Energy, Politics and Economic Prosperity, Fossil Fuels are Important, Keeping America Great

Coal Power: It is the End Result that Counts!

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Solar and Wind are not the lowest cost electricity generation, in spite of what is written or hyped

Electricity Demand is Growing at the Fastest Rate in a Decade

An excerpt from the latest IEA Energy 2025 report follows:

“Global energy demand grew by 2.2% in 2024 – faster than the average rate over the past decade. Demand for all fuels and technologies expanded in 2024. The increase was led by the power sector as electricity demand surged by 4.3%, well above the 3.2% growth in global GDP, driven by record temperatures, electrification and digitalisation. Renewables
accounted for most of the growth in global energy supply (38%), followed by natural gas (28%), coal (15%), oil (11%) and nuclear (8%)“

The National Mining Association provides the map below which shows the U.S. States with the lowest cost electricity and also the percentage of electricity generation from coal.

The NMA illustration above is based on electricity prices in 2023. A more recent listing is compiled by the EIA, here.

The previous article I wrote covered the sad cancellation of most of the 151 new coal plants that were planned in 2008. Also, the coal plants canceled between 2007 and 2015 are covered here, here and here.

Here below is a slide I used for my presentation to the 2011 ASME Summer Meeting in Dallas for my talk on the “Importance of Coal and America’s Treasure of Fossil Fuels” as of the summer of 2011. Note the electricity prices when coal provided over 40% of America’s electricity generation. The increases are NOT simply inflation. The price increases since 2010 are primarily the result of the “War on Coal”.

Also, moving from 2011 to present day power demand, the 2025 winter peak power generation from coal remains important. Here is a typical winter day generation. This one from January 21, 2025. Coal was providing over 20% of America’s electricity.

Reliable, Affordable Electricity Powers the U.S. Economy

The WSJ recently published an article, “Economic Growth Depends on Electricity, Not Oil”. The article is good with respect to showing the relationship of reliable, affordable power, but in my opinion has too much emphasis (again) on renewable green power as the solution. Here is the historical growth of electricity as reported in the WSJ.

Green Power Obfuscation

The question of which fuel or source provides the lowest cost generation of electricity? The answer to that question gets muddled by much obfuscation by the media and even professional trade journals that are well respected. Here is a typical example. This one from Visual Capitalist.

Here is another example of greenwashing from my local electricity supplier in South Carolina. Most of the generation for Palmetto-Electric Cooperative is provided by the primarily coal fueled Santee-Cooper generation. Yet, propaganda such as this tends to indoctrinate the public that renewables are powering Hilton Head island.

Here is a slide I used in a presentation several years ago where threee well respected organizations, WSJ, Palmetto Electric and the IEA all have obfuscated the facts on the cost of new generation capacity built or power produced during 2020.

Results Engineering

One of the positions I held over the years was that of Results Engineer for Babcock & Wilcox. I thought it was a corny title at the time (1967) but after many years, can appreciate the significance of measuring the true Results of Thermal Power Generating plants. The Results Engineering Team tested new power plants to measure efficiency and other performance parameters. Back then (as is done now) the total heat input is measured that is inputed to a power generation system and then the net output is determined as the Heat-Rate based on measuring the total heat input, and the equivalent energy output. A typical modern ultra-supercritical coal plant may achieve an efficiency of 41% at design conditions. This would be a Heat-Rate of 8,323 Btus/kWh. Back to basics: one kWh of electricity is equivalent to 3412.6 BTUs. Thus, 3412.6/8323 X 100=41% Thermal efficiency

Yes, I am aware that natural gas combined cycle plants (GTCC) can achieve up to 65% Thermal Efficiency. However, with the fuel cost component about 90% for natural gas fuel, the production cost is directly impacted by increased fuel costs. Even at a much higher efficiency, a 60% GTCC plant will have a higher production cost than a 40% efficient coal plant if the fuel is 2x more expensive. More on that later.

Why are Heat-Rate and Thermal Efficiency Important?

Few energy writers discuss the importance of Thermal Power in electricity generation (or transportation). For example, the January 21, 2025 electricity generation example shown above is provided by over 90% Thermal Power. Thermal energy converted to electricity from nuclear, natural gas and coal. The importance of PRIMARY Energy is rarely written about. One energy expert, Lars Schernikau has written much on Primary energy. As a reminder for the U.S., here is the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Sankey Diagram of Total PRIMARY Energy Flows for 2022: Note that of the total Primary Energy used in the U.S. over 94% for the entire year 2022 was from conventional forms of electric power generation when old hydro, Biomass and nuclear are included. The 100 Quadrillion BTUs of total Primary energy includes all uses of energy; electricity generation, transportation, industrial production, heating, cooking and commercial end uses.

The primary cost of Electricity production at the Bus Bar of a thermal power plant is fuel. A coal plant production cost component will be in the range of 70% of electricity cost. The natural gas fuel cost component for a GTCC or simple cycle gas turbine will be about 90% of the production cost. Therefore, the cost of the primary energy determines the production cost of electricity. One of many advantages of coal plants is the fairly level cost of fuel over the years. Thus, stable electricity prices.

Thomas Troszak has written an excellent paper on the fallacy of wind and solar. It is entitled, “Why Do We Burn Coal and Wood to Make Solar Panels“? Lars Schernikau has an excellent web page entitled “Unpopular Truths” and he has published books on the importance of Primary Energy. Suffice it to say, Primary Energy needs to be discussed more at a level for the general public to understand. The absence of sound energy education which has been masked by public green indoctrination, is one reason why the importance of primary energy is, misunderstood by the public and policy makers.

But, I digress. Let’s get back to the Results of various sources of electricity generation and comparing the end Results of wind, solar and coal power generation. One of my all time favorite words: RESULTS!

RESULTS Matter! U.S. States with Lowest Cost Power and the Primary Fuel Used for Electricity Generation

The EIA lists the electricity costs for all 50 states. That list is here. Also, Electricity Plans.com, Here. Five with the lowest average retail rates (EIA) are:

  • North Dakota $0.0102/kWh
  • Idaho $0.10.97/kWh
  • Utah $0.1102/kWh
  • Wyoming $0.117/kWh
  • Nebraska $0.1078/kWh

Let’s dig into the principal fuel used for power generation by North Dakota according to the EIA Energy Profile for ND. The Primary source of energy for power generation is 54.4% coal and 39.7% renewables. The next lowest cost producer of electricity is Idaho. EIA Energy Profile for Idaho shows: Natural gas 68.7% and renewables 30.8%. Nebraska is another low cost producer, data from EIA Energy Profile for Nebraska is: 48% coal, 16.7% nuclear and 33.5% renewables. These three examples are what I would consider “Balanced Generation Portfolios”. The reason the power costs are reasonable has many moving parts but primarily the low electricity rates are attributed to low cost, affordable Primary energy. Idaho is blessed with wind and abundant hydropower from Bonneville Power dams in the Columbia River system. The hydropower supply in the Pacific Northwest is unique and obviously different than the geography of Florida or the plains states of the midwest. The Green New Deal plan of solar and wind powering all 50 states just simply will not and is not working. One policy does not fit all 50 states.

How about South Carolina?

My adopted state of S.C. ranks pretty well in electricity rates, for now. The S.C. EIA Energy profile shows our state electric costs at $0.01387/kWh. Not too bad. The Primary energy sources for S.C. total state electricity generation are 56.3% nuclear (the success of nuclear in S.C. is almost never discussed by the MSM), 18.6% coal, 19.8% natural gas and 5.2% renewables. Again, in my view, a nicely Balanced generation portfolio. The high percentage of nuclear generation is from old nuclear plants. Four nuclear units which started up in the 1970’s. As a resident of South Carolina, I appreciate the good record of reliability and affordability of our electricity. However, it should be noted that the future cost and affordability of electricity are in jeopardy if the current path to eliminate coal is not changed.

The States With the Highest Cost Electricity

Here are the top seven states with the highest cost electricity.

  • Hawaii $0.4234/kWh
  • California $0.03055/kWh
  • Massachusetts $0.03122/kWh
  • Connecticut $0.02816/kWh
  • Maine $0.02629/kWh
  • Rhode Island $0.02531/kWh
  • New York $0.0.2437/kWh

Additional references are included below to provide information on primary energy, electricity generation profiles of states and including the highest and lowest cost electricity in the U.S. and the world.

Bjorn Lomberg, One Practical Environmentalist

Lomberg has published numerous books, magazine articles, news articles and technical papers. He has been a consistent voice of reason. Here below is one of his charts published in Canada’s Financial Post on the cost of electricity in countries that have moved deeply into carbon free, wind and solar electricity generation.

The red circled statement in the lower right corner of the chart sums up wind and solar power generation. There is “No Cheap Electricity”. Dick Storm’s take is: There is reasonable cost, reliable electricity and that is electricity generated from coal. American policy makers should study the impact of green power being forced on Germany and the consequent deindustrialization, due to high energy costs. Several of Lomberg’s other publications are listed in the references.

Conclusions, The most important points I am trying to make are:

  • Solar and wind are NOT less expensive sources of primary energy to produce electricity 24/7 8760 hours per year
  • Coal, nuclear and natural gas provide Dispatchable, affordable power and the Result in lower power costs when applied in a Balanced Generation Portfolio produce the least cost and most reliable electricity generation
  • When wholesale and retail electricity rates are compared from states that have high percentages of coal, nuclear, natural gas and hydropower, they have the lowest electricity rates over the course of years.
  • When solar and wind are forced onto the Grid, it raises electricity prices. A very good example is Hawaii which once had a coal plant and then, blessed with plenty of wind and sunshine, tried to become Net Zero Carbon. The result is the highest electricity costs in America. I wrote a few articles on Hawaii as a perfect energy island example of applying the “Green New Deal”. With no Grid to connect, the true costs of electricity show up faster than they will in a states practicing the “Green New Deal” but are connected to the Grid such as California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Maine.
  • The states with a high percentage of coal power generation also have amongst the lowest electricity prices

Thank you for taking time to read this and I encourage you to read more in the reference links provided below.

Dick Storm, March 28, 2025

References and for further research

  1. Thomas Troszak articles on the fallacy of renewables: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335083312_Why_do_we_burn_coal_and_trees_to_make_solar_panels?

    https://www.enseccoe.org/publications/energy-highlights-no-16/
  2. Rafe Champion website, March 18, 2025: https://www.flickerpower.com/index.php/search/categories/general/list-of-briefing-notes
  3. National Mining Association, (NMA) https://mineralsmakelife.org/blog/early-action-signals-progress-us-mineral-independence-still-hangs-in-balance/
  4. EIA on Electricity Growth of AI centers: https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-releases-new-report-evaluating-increase-electricity-demand-data-centers
  5. Utility Dive, Rising Demand Could Increase Electricity Prices 19% by 2028, Electricity Growth 68% by 2050: https://www.utilitydive.com/news/us-electricity-prices-19-percent-higher-2028-ICF/727317/
  6. EIA Energy Outlook, March 11, 2025: https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/steo/report/elec_coal_renew.php
  7. Kathryn Porter’s “Watt Logic” article on Heathrow Airport Outage, March 2025: https://watt-logic.com/2025/03/24/heathrow-airport-blackout/#comment-108225
  8. EIA Electricity Prices, March 2025: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_a  
  9. Electricity Plans.com: https://electricityplans.com/average-electricity-bill-usage-rate-by-state/#top-10-states-for-cheapest-electricity-bills
  10. EIA Wholesale Electricity Rates, 2024: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=64284
  11. Electric Choice.com March 2025, Electric Rates in U.S.: https://www.electricchoice.com/electricity-prices-by-state/
  12. NMA Map of Electricity Prices and coal power in lower 48 states: https://nma.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/coal-gen-map-2023.pdf
  13. WSJ article on “Economic Growth Depends on Electricity, Not Oil”, March 27, 2025: https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/economic-growth-now-depends-on-electricity-not-oil-40250941?st=cbzcRt  
  14. Lars Schernikau Blog, “Unpopular Truth”: https://unpopular-truth.com/blog/
  15. MSNBC High Grade Canadian Uranium Mine, video: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2024/12/11/a-look-inside-the-worlds-highest-grade-uranium-mine.html?__source=linkedin%7Cmain%7Cverticalvideo
  16. Stephen Heins, January 2025 on Importance of Coal Power Plants: https://open.substack.com/pub/stephenheins/p/required-to-ensure-power-grid-resiliency?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false  
  17. NERC December 2024 Reliability Report: https://www.nerc.com/pa/RAPA/ra/Reliability%20Assessments%20DL/NERC_Long%20Term%20Reliability%20Assessment_2024.pdf
  18. History of Energy Policy since Jimmy Carter, Real Clear History: https://www.realclearhistory.com/articles/2025/01/22/irony_and_failure_the_energy_policies_of_jimmy_carter_1086054.html
  19. Chris Bond on California Dreaming: https://open.substack.com/pub/chrisbond/p/california-dreaming?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  20. Battery Storage BESS in California, LI Post by Oscar Martin: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/oscarlmartin_californias-grid-batteries-have-turned-out-activity-7294973477780865024-EfRk?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  21. Last 10 Years Electricity generation LI post by Mike Caravaggio, Feb. 10, 2025: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/michael-caravaggio_last-ten-years-of-electricity-generation-activity-7291223299571818497-u6VI?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  22. BESS description by Lars Stephan using German example, LI Feb. 10, 2025: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lars-stephan_energystorage-activity-7294633711931715585-ErXn?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  23.  Ron Clutz interview of Chris Wright with excellent text and cartoons: https://rclutz.com/2025/02/11/us-energy-status-quo-and-outlook-sec-chris-wright/
  24. WUWT, David Mittleton on Fossil Fuels saving New England from freezing in Jan. 2025, posted Feb. 12:  https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/02/12/fossil-fuels-save-new-england-from-freezing-in-the-dark-again/
  25. Lakeland McIntosh #3 Demolition, January 2023: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GFkzRvrQ4A
  26. Power Magazine video of McIntosh Coal Plant: https://www.powermag.com/watch-implosion-topple-florida-coal-fired-plant/
  27. Scott Tinker and Mark Mills Book, “Energy for the 21st Century” Feb, 2025:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/75cce-markmillsandscotttinkerenergyforthe21stcentury.pdf
  28. EIA Report on Coal Plant Retirements, Feb. 2025: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=64604
  29. Mike Caravaggio LI Post on world Power Generation: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/michael-caravaggio_global-electricity-mix-evolution-2012-to-activity-7299561874142969856-INbX?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAI4KQUBYW-cbQRlA1kgj9X3llGi7u6KNnQ
  30. Foreign Affairs magazine, “The Troubled Energy Transition “March- April 2025: https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/troubled-energy-transition-yergin-orszag-arya
  31. IEA World Energy Prices, Dec. 2024: https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/data-product/energy-prices#energy-prices-and-taxes
  32. Western Electricity Markets reports: https://www.westerneim.com/Pages/About/QuarterlyBenefits.aspx
  33.  Isaac Orr and Mitch Rolling Substack article summarizing the J.P. Morgan Chase 2025 Energy report: https://open.substack.com/pub/energybadboys/p/9-takeaways-from-the-jp-morgan-chase?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  34. Heliocentrism, March 4th , 2025, J.P. Morgan Chase Energy Report: https://assets.jpmprivatebank.com/content/dam/jpm-pb-aem/global/en/documents/eotm/heliocentrism.pdf
  35. All Fuels are Important, A Review of Competitive Electricity Generation and Supply of Needed Transportation Fuels : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/02/10/all-fuels-are-important-a-review-of-the-reality-of-competitive-electricity-generation-and-the-supply-of-needed-transportation-fuels/  
  36. Texas and Coal Power,  6,000 MW of Coal Power Generation is Missed, Feb. 19, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/02/19/texas-and-coal-power-6000-mws-of-coal-plant-capacity-is-missed/
  37. Executive Orders to Weaken the U.S. Economy, March 3, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/03/03/presidential-executive-order-signed-by-biden-that-will-harm-the-u-s-economy/
  38. Energy and Some People Who Contributed to the Rise of America, March 31, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/03/31/energy-and-notable-people-who-contributed-to-the-rise-of-america/  
  39. Earth Day, Let’s Celebrate True Sustainability of Our High Quality of Life, April 22, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/04/22/earth-day-lets-celebrate-true-sustainability-and-a-continuance-of-our-high-quality-of-life/
  40.   The War on Carbon, How it Came to Be” October 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/10/16/the-war-on-carbon-how-it-came-to-be/
  41. “My Paid Energy Ad from 2015 and here We Go Again”, January 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/01/28/my-paid-ad-for-energy-awareness-in-2015-here-we-go-again/
  42. Energy and Economic Prosperity, My Thoughts, a presentation to the Delaware County Bar Association, July 2016: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2016/07/25/energy-and-economic-prosperity-my-thoughts-dick-storm/
  43. “Dick Storm’s Thoughts on the Green New Deal”,    October 2020: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2020/10/10/part-5-dick-storms-thoughts-on-the-green-new-deal/
  44. “Are You Worried about the Future of the U.S.A.?”    : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/01/21/are-you-worried-about-the-future-of-america/
  45.  830,000 BTUs per Day/Person, Sept. 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/09/16/830000-btus-per-day-person/
  46.   The Stupidity of Net-Zero Carbon, Oct. 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/10/13/the-stupidity-of-net-zero-carbon/
  47. America’s Treasure of Fossil Fuels, Update of 2011 presentation to ASME: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/11/26/americas-treasure-of-fossil-fuels/
  48.  American Dream = 100 Quadrillion BTUs per Year April 7, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/04/american-dream-100-quadrillion-btus/
  49.   Providing a Sustainable Million BTUs per Day/Person, May 17,  2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/05/17/providing-a-sustainable-million-btus-per-day-per-person-by-fuel-source/
  50.  A Short History of Power Generation, Part 1, 1850-1955, January 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/01/14/a-short-history-of-energy-electricity-and-how-our-high-quality-of-living-came-to-be-high-human-development-index-part-1-1850-1955/
  51.  A Short History of Power Generation, Part 2:  https://wp.me/p5DzAo-k6
  52.  A Short History of Power Generation, Part 3: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-ll
  53.  A Short History of Power Generation, Part 4: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-n4
  54. Energy=Life as We Enjoy it, Aug. 22, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/08/22/energy-life-that-is-life-as-we-enjoy-it/
  55.  “The War on Carbon, How it Came to Be”, Oct. 16, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/10/16/the-war-on-carbon-how-it-came-to-be/
  56. Energy and Economic Prosperity, Jan. 11, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/01/03/energy-and-economic-prosperity/
  57.  Energy and World Peace, April, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/04/05/energy-world-peace/
  58. Without New Thinking on Nuclear Power, Anti-Carbon Policy Can’t Succeed, Nov. 11, 2021 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/11/13/without-new-thinking-on-nuclear-power-anti-carbon-climate-policy-cant-succeed/
  59.  The Rise and Fall and Rise Again  of Nations and the  Realities of Energy: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/08/15/the-rise-fall-and-rise-again-of-nations-and-the-realities-of-energy/
  60. America Needs 100 Quadrillion BTUs of Primary Energy Each Year, May 16, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/16/back-to-basics-the-u-s-needs-100-quadrillion-btus-year-of-primary-energy/  
  61.  Pillars of Modern Civilization, Ammonia, Food, Steel, Concrete, Plastics, Aluminum, July 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/25/pillars-of-modern-civilization-all-dependent-on-energy/
  62. How Can a 6,000 MW Utility that will be a 9,000MW Utility in 2050, become Net-Zero Carbon? April 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/04/27/how-can-a-6000-mw-regional-utility-in-2030-which-likely-will-be-a-9000-mw-utility-in-2050-achieve-net-zero-carbon/
  63. Dick Storm Blog post, “Wake Up Americans!” Sept. 21, 2023:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/09/20/please-wake-up-america-your-energy-and-electricity-generation-reliability-are-at-risk/
  64. THE ERA OF RELIABLE, AFFORDABLE, ENERGY AND ELECTRICITY GENERATION: PART 1: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/10/04/the-era-of-reliable-affordable-energy-and-electricity-generation-part-1/
  65.  The Green Energy Crisis is Here, Part 1, Sept. 17, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/29/the-green-energy-crisis-is-here-part-1/
  66. The Green Energy Crisis, Part 2, “Meet Some of the People that Caused it”,  June 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/06/14/green-energy-crisis-part-2-meet-the-policy-makers-that-caused-it/
  67. The Green Energy Crisis, Part 3, June 26, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/06/26/green-energy-crisis-part-3-public-energy-education-is-needed-each-person-in-the-u-s-uses-about-315-million-btus-of-primary-energy-year-this-is-not-practical-or-even-possible-to-replace-with-win/
  68.   Review of Harold Hamm’s Book, “Gamechanger” on Dick Storm blog: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/09/17/harold-hamms-book-game-changer-a-must-read-for-elected-officials-and-candidates-for-elective-office/
  69.  Over Achieving Minorities in Western Civilization, Nov. 11, 2023 :  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/11/11/over-achieving-minorities-of-western-civilization/
  70. Wake Up America! Sept. 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/09/20/please-wake-up-america-your-energy-and-electricity-generation-reliability-are-at-risk/
  71.  Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 1,  79 Quadrillion BTUs, The Enormity of the Fossil Energy Systems Providing Sustainable Lives, Jan. 11, 2024 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/01/11/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-part-1-79-quadrillion-btusthe-enormity-of-the-fossil-energy-systems-providing-sustainable-lives/
  72.  Influencers of U.S. Energy Policy, January 3, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/01/04/influencers-of-american-energy-policy/
  73. Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 2, The Reality of Replacing Conventional Forms of Energy, Jan. 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/02/06/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-part-2-some-facts-on-the-reality-of-replacing-conventional-forms-of-energy/
  74.  Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 3, The Transition that Isn’t, from the perspective of Minerals, Feb. 8, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/02/08/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-part-3-the-transition-that-isnt-from-the-perspective-of-minerals/
  75. Facing the Hard Truths of Energy, Part 4, The True Agenda for Climate Policies, Feb. 13, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/02/13/facing-the-hard-truths-of-energy-electricity-generation-and-environmental-protection-part-4-what-is-the-true-agenda-for-climate-policies/
  76. Energy Matters! March 2024 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/11/energy-matters/
  77. Update on Hawaii’s “Green New Deal” March 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/20/hawaii-a-glimpse-into-the-future-of-the-green-new-deal-aka-inflation-reduction-act-here-is-an-update/
  78. The Rise and Fall of Nations from the perspective of nuclear power systems manufacturing: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/08/15/the-rise-fall-and-rise-again-of-nations-and-the-realities-of-energy/
  79. Thomas J. Shepstone posting on Substack of,  “Energy Matters If You Value the Life You Now Have and Don’t Want to Live Under Socialism
  80.  March 11, 2024: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/energy-matters-if-you-value-the-life?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email  
  81.  Threats to the Electric Grid, March 15, 2024:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/15/threats-to-the-grid-electricity-reliability/
  82. Giant Sucking Sound, March 18, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/18/giant-sucking-sound/
  83. “Update on Hawaii’s Glimpse of the Future of the Green New Deal” March 20, 2024:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/03/20/hawaii-a-glimpse-into-the-future-of-the-green-new-deal-aka-inflation-reduction-act-here-is-an-update/
  84. The Reality of Electrifying Everything,  April 9, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/04/09/the-reality-of-electrifying-everything-and-the-primary-energy-required-to-generate-the-electricity/
  85. Am I Missing Something? Here is an Update on Hyundai’s Commitment to their EV Meta Plant in Georgia:   https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/04/14/am-i-missing-something-on-evs-here-is-an-update-on-hyundais-meta-plant-commitment-to-evs-and-hydrogen-vehicles/
  86. Tom Shepstone post on Substack of Dick Storm letter to Senator Tom Davis: https://energysecurityfreedom.substack.com/p/a-balanced-energy-portfolio-is-critical/comments
  87. Dick Storm LI Post on SC Energy policies and failed coal and nuclear plant plans: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7184184178920312833?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
  88. Saving America: Issues that Matter, April 28, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/04/29/saving-america-from-destructive-policies-the-real-issues-that-matter-part-1/
  89. How Can a 6,000 MW Utility in 2030 Become a 9,000 MW Utility in 2050 and Still Meet Net Zero Carbon? Update of last year’s article, May 2, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/05/02/how-can-a-6000-mw-regional-utility-in-2030-which-likely-will-be-a-9000-mw-utility-in-2050-achieve-net-zero-carbon-an-update-on-my-electricity-provider-in-south-carolina/
  90. Coal’s Final Battle, May 18, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/05/20/coals-final-battle/
  91. Tom Shepstone’s Substack repost of Dick Storm commentary, May 20, 2024: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/why-we-the-american-people-must-win?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
  92. Visualizing 100 Quadrillion BTUs. Shouldn’t Coal Remain in our Energy Mix?” : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/07/02/visualizing-100-quadrillion-btus-of-primary-energy-coal-should-remain-in-our-energy-mix/
  93. We the People vs. The Ten Headed Swamp Monster     :  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/07/10/we-the-people-vs-net-zero-indoctrination-by-the-ten-headed-swamp-monster/
  94. The Magnificent and Indispensable Heat Engines Society Depends on: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/07/30/the-magnificent-and-indispensable-heat-engine-on-which-civil-society-depends-part-1-heat-engines-1-3-million-horsepower/ 
  95. The Magnificent and Indispensable Heat Engine, Part II, Focus on Ocean Shipping: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/08/07/the-magnificent-and-indispensable-heat-engine-on-which-civil-society-depends-part-ii-focus-on-fossil-fuels-for-ocean-shipping/
  96. The Magnificent and Indispensable Heat Engine, Part III, August 13, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/08/13/the-magnificent-and-indispensable-heat-engine-on-which-civil-society-depends-part-iii-internal-combustion-engines-up-to-110000-horsepower/
  97. The Coming Electricity Reliability Crisis and the Importance of Coal, Sept. 12, 2024:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/09/12/the-electricity-reliability-crisis-and-the-importance-of-american-coal/
  98. The Kingdom of Heaven Runs on Righteousness, The Kingdom of Earth Runs on Energy, Oct. 3, 2024:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/10/03/heaven-runs-on-righteousness-earth-runs-on-energy/
  99. Charley Reese’s Last Column, “545 vs. 300,000,000 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/11/27/charley-reeses-last-column-a-classic-commentary-written-over-twenty-years-ago/
  100.  Why is Western Civilization Self Sabotaging the Primary Energy that Provides 80% of the fuel for America’s Life-Blood of Reliable Electricity, with the War on Carbon?.     : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/12/17/why-is-western-civilization-self-sabotaging-the-primary-energy-sources-that-provide-80-of-the-fuel-for-americas-life-blood-of-reliable-electricity-with-the-war-on-carbon/
  101. Musings on the Self-Sabotaging Energy Policies and a Reminder of the History of the Rise and Fall of Nations:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/01/13/musings-on-self-sabotaging-energy-policies-and-a-reminder-of-the-history-of-the-rise-and-fall-of-nations/
  102. The EPA “Endangerment Finding” and why it Needs to Go, Feb. 2, 2025: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-1ZW
  103. The SWAMP MONSTER vs. 300 Million Americans, Feb. 21, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/02/21/the-swamp-monster-vs-the-best-interests-of-the-united-states-of-america/
  104. Thomas J. Shepstone Substack on Dick Storm’s “Primer on How to Ensure Electricity Security (and How to Destroy It)”:  https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/a-primer-on-how-to-ensure-energy?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false 
  105.  Dick Storm article on the 151 coal plants planned in 2007-2009: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/03/19/the-u-s-self-inflicted-electricity-generation-crisis-was-created-by-gongo-the-swamp-monster-here-is-how-to-end-it/
  106. U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA),  S.C. Energy Profile: https://www.eia.gov/state/print.php?sid=SC
  107. U.S. EIA, Electricity explained: https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/electricity/electricity-in-the-us-generation-capacity-and-sales.php
  108. S.C. Energy Office, Charts and discussion of S.C. energy and electricity generation: https://south-carolina-energy-office-1-1-scors-eo.hub.arcgis.com/pages/electricity-data#clcw7fc2k
  109. EIA Dashboard, this shows the actual generation by fuel and region in real time: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/gridmonitor/dashboard/electric_overview/balancing_authority/SC
  110. Santee-Cooper Integrated Resource Plan for future electricity generation assets. This is the latest 2024 update: https://www.santeecooper.com/About/Integrated-Resource-Plan/Reports-and-Materials/Santee-Cooper-2024-IRP-Update.pdf
  111. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Energy Flow Charts: https://flowcharts.llnl.gov
  112. Bjorn Lomberg on the High Cost of Solar and Wind, Climate Change Dispatch, Jan. 2, 2025: https://climatechangedispatch.com/wind-solar-hidden-truth-behind-rising-electric-bills/
  113. Frazer Institute, “Hot Air, Cold Truths, Bjorn Lomberg, March 2025: https://www.fraserinstitute.org/hot-air-and-cold-truths-bjorn-lomborg
  114. Delaware County Insider, Wind and Solar are Expensive, Bjorn Lomberg, May 24,  2024: https://delawarevalleyjournal.com/lomborg-the-true-cost-of-wind-and-solar-energy/
  115. Yahoo Finance and National Post, March 2025, Bjorn Lomberg, Wind and Solar are Expensive: https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/bjorn-lomborg-solar-wind-power-100008520.html
  116. What Happened to the 151 Coal Plants Planned in 2008? GEM: https://www.gem.wiki/What_happened_to_the_151_proposed_coal_plants%3F
  117. NETL Slide Deck on Coal Plant resurgence 2007: https://grist.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/netl_new_coal_5.2007.pdf
  118. POWER Mag Siting of New Coal Plants, Considerations, Mar. 2008: https://www.powermag.com/the-future-of-coal-power-development-and-siting-obstacles-for-new-coal-plants/
  119. POWER, May 2011 Coal Fleet References at the time: https://www.powermag.com/predicting-u-s-coal-plant-retirements/
  120. POWER Magazine ct. 2018 on MATS Rule impact on coal plants: https://www.powermag.com/how-did-mats-affect-u-s-coal-generation/
  121. WEF April 2019 Fall of Coal Plants Worldwide: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2019/04/chart-shows-fall-in-planned-coal-power-iea/
  122. Power Engineering Feb. 2024 A look at Projected  Coal Retirements: https://www.power-eng.com/coal/plant-decommissioning/a-look-at-projected-u-s-coal-and-gas-plant-retirements/
  123. Univ. of Chicago, 2010 Report on Coal Plant Retirements: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/717217
    Institute for Energy Economics Report on Coal Plant Closures (about 50% by 2026) with data from peak 2011 Capacity of 318 GW, April 2023: https://ieefa.org/resources/us-track-close-half-coal-capacity-2026  
  124. Alabama Attorney General is Amongst 22 Other States Calling for Coal Fuel to Revive the Electric Grid: https://gulfcoastmedia.com/stories/alabama-attorney-general-calls-for-reviving-americas-energy-grid-with-coal,257548?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0XeLob6rYc5WaBBtSyuB7vHctTdzVhTJxJZ96bExtALJBFoqUPAJPKaY0_aem_8TNpNEKQSIdjNrJTJeBF8Q#//
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  127. Robert Bryce article on Increasing T&D is not the answer: https://robertbryce.substack.com/p/out-of-transmission-revisited/comments
    Grid Down, Power Up YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kErOyJ0u-8&t=180s
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  129. Grid Status App: https://www.gridstatus.io/home
  130. Bloomberg, German Industry Days as Industrial Superpower Coming to an End, due to Energy Costs/shortages: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-02-10/why-germany-s-days-as-an-industrial-superpower-are-coming-to-an-end?embedded-checkout=true
  131. Politico on German Industry Shutting Down, Moving to China due to shortages and high Costs of energy, July 2023: https://www.politico.eu/article/rust-belt-on-the-rhine-the-deindustrialization-of-germany/
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The U.S. Self-Inflicted Electricity Generation Crisis Was Created by GONGO the SWAMP Monster, Here is How to End IT!

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Hint: Go back to 2007 plans to build 151 new coal plants!

I have given numerous presentations and written much on the “Self-Inflicted” Electricity Crisis. Well, now thanks to the efforts of President Trump, Lee Zeldin, Elon Musk and DOGE, the influence of the destructive Green, so-called, “Climate Policies” have uncovered a tangled web of the SWAMP, Bureaucrats, NGO’s, WEF, Woke Corporations, MSM, Politicians, Fraud, Misguided Federal Judges and Corruption. I wrote about “GONGO the 14 Headed SWAMP Monster” on a previous article, here.

The answer to providing reliable, affordable, clean and Dispatchable Bulk Power Generation has been proven.

The new plant construction plans in place between 2007-2009 would have, if completed, completely eliminated the electricity generation crisis the U.S. is faced with for 2025. So, why were such well thought out plans scrapped? Because of the EPA’s Endangerment Finding.

The Answer: Build 151 New Coal Plants!

America had a plan to build about 151 new modern coal power plants. The “Endangerment Finding” was politically based, it was not based on science or for protecting public health. The proposed 151 new coal plants in 2007 was a good plan. In my opinion, it is still a good plan now! What other form of Dispatchable, 24/7, affordable cost power generation capacity can be built in ten years that has on-site fuel storage? Nuclear is a good idea but it will require more time to rebuild the supply-chain. Natural gas plants, in my opinion, are over-built and nearly all of them have no on-site fuel storage and are always susceptible to pipeline flow disruptions.

Coal power is the best fuel choice to provide the replacement of the lost 125,000 MW of coal plant capacity. New electricity generation capacity is needed ASAP, as electricity growth is now about 2-4% per year to provide the needed power to reshore primary metals production, manufacturing and to power new AI servers. I presented a presentation based on the loss of aluminum manufacturing in America and the shifting of production to China. This is here and here

Two of the NETL slides from a 2007 presentation on Tracking of New Coal Plants are copied below.

Power Magazine in 2010 had an article entitled, “Coal is Down but Not Out” and went on to describe 340 coal plant projects scheduled for 2011.

I remember these years well, they were very good years for business. Three plants that were memorable to me were the 600 MW Pee Dee Coal plant planned by Santee-Cooper, the 600 MW Turk Plant in Arkansas and the 1960 MW FP&L Glades Plant in Florida.

AEP did build one of the Turk planned four units and it is a magnificent Ultrasupercritical plant with a fine operating record. However, the other three units were cancelled due “Sue and Settle law fare by the EPA and NGO’s”. The Pee Dee Coal Plant components were purchased but it was never assembled/erected. References below if you are interested for these and over 100 other canceled coal plants.

About 2010 The EPA SWAMP Monster Strikes

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation listed at least 100,000 MW of coal plants shut down in the 2022 Summer Report. One table from that report is copied below which shows the growth in non-Dispatch able (Nameplate Capacity) wind and solar an decline of 21.4% coal generation between 2011 and 2021.

Another report by the Brattle Group showed the coal power generation decline of about 125,000 MW in coal plant capacity since 2005.

So My Friends, That is Why America is Facing A “Self-Inflicted” Electricity Generation Capacity Crisis

This crisis could have been averted had the politicians did three things:

1. NOT escalated the “War on Coal”,

2. Conquered GONGO the SWAMP Monster

3. NOT promoted the “Green New Deal”

Dick Storm and Donn Dears Suggestions on How to Fix IT

The late Donn Dears wrote many books and articles on his blog site over the last 15 years. He was one of the first published authors to warn Americans. His last book, “Clean Energy Crisis” chapter 8 sums up “what it would take for America to replace the fossil fuel power plants”. This was written in 2022 before the electricity load growth of AI Servers and President Trump’s policies to reshore manufacturing in the U.S. Here is a summary of “What Dears Stated it would take to Replace Fossil Fueled Generation by 2050”

Nuclear-Build 881 new nuclear plants similar to Georgia Power Plant Vogtle. Units 3 & 4 took ten years to build 2,200 MW of new capacity

Build 995,141 2.5MW Wind Turbines

Build 3,918,996 MW of Solar Generation capacity

I suggest you buy a copy of Donn’s book, it is available on Amazon. Read the detailed analysis. Long story short, eliminating coal and natural gas is impossible if we are to continue our high quality of life.

Electricity Demand and Cost is Rising

The cost of electricity is rising and the Demand growing. Coal plants produce affordable, reliable and Dispatchable electricity generation. Also, with months of on-site fuel storage a practical reality.

Before Gongo the SWAMP Monster there was Common Sense and well delivered engineering excellence of reliable, affordable coal power generation. This combined to power the GDP rise of America. The coal use and GDP growth paralleled each other up till 2010. The God given treasure of high quality coal resources of America are still available to use, we should do so.

Conclusions

The War on Coal and Climate Policies of the Democrat Party and the rest of the SWAMP has severely harmed America’s productive capability and competitiveness with China and the rest of the world. Thanks to President Trump, now the sources of funding the propaganda and indoctrination of the public is becoming known. At least known by those of us interested in learning and digging into the roots of the destructive policies of Biden, Obama and the Democrat controlled Congress. Thankfully, we have President Trump and a competent Cabinet of American Patriots now at the top tier of our government. It is my hope and prayer that all or at least most Americans will support Common Sense Energy Policies and the reduction of waste, fraud, corruption and abuse of taxpayer dollars.

Respectfully,

Dick Storm, March 18, 2025

References and for Further Research on Coal Power and energy policies in America:

  1. POWER Magazine/Coal Power 2009 on New Source Review: https://www.powermag.com/new-source-review-update/
  2. What Happened to the 151 Coal Plants Planned in 2008? GEM: https://www.gem.wiki/What_happened_to_the_151_proposed_coal_plants%3F
  3. NETL Slide Deck on Coal Plant resurgence 2007: https://grist.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/netl_new_coal_5.2007.pdf
  4. POWER Mag Siting of New Coal Plants, Considerations, Mar. 2008: https://www.powermag.com/the-future-of-coal-power-development-and-siting-obstacles-for-new-coal-plants/
  5. POWER, May 2011 Coal Fleet References at the time: https://www.powermag.com/predicting-u-s-coal-plant-retirements/
  6. POWER Magazine ct. 2018 on MATS Rule impact on coal plants: https://www.powermag.com/how-did-mats-affect-u-s-coal-generation/
  7. WEF April 2019 Fall of Coal Plants Worldwide: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2019/04/chart-shows-fall-in-planned-coal-power-iea/
  8. Power Engineering Feb. 2024 A look at Projected  Coal Retirements: https://www.power-eng.com/coal/plant-decommissioning/a-look-at-projected-u-s-coal-and-gas-plant-retirements/
  9. Univ. of Chicago, 2010 Report on Coal Plant Retirements: https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/717217
  10. Institute for Energy Economics Report on Coal Plant Closures (about 50% by 2026) with data from peak 2011 Capacity of 318 GW, April 2023: https://ieefa.org/resources/us-track-close-half-coal-capacity-2026  
  11. Coal Plant Construction Costs in 2008 by Schlissel Technical :  https://schlissel-technical.com/docs/reports_35.pdf
  12. American Public Power 2024 Update of U.S. Generating Capacity: https://www.publicpower.org/system/files/documents/Americas-Electricity-Generation-Capacity-2024.pdf
  13. POWER Mag. 2009, Seminole Electric Scraps $1.4 Billion New Coal Plant Plan: https://www.powermag.com/seminole-scraps-plans-for-1-4-billion-coal-fired-unit-in-florida/
  14. Power Mag. 2006 New Coal Plants Texas and Hanoi: https://www.powermag.com/projects/
  15. POWER Mag. 2010 Coal Power Down, Not Out: https://www.powermag.com/u-s-coal-fired-power-development-down-but-not-out/?itm_source=parsely-api
  16. E3G Report on G7 Coal Plant Retirements, 2021: https://www.e3g.org/news/strong-currents-g7-coal-transition-data-trends/
  17. Brattle Group Report, 2023 on Review of Coal Plant Generation: https://www.brattle.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/A-Review-of-Coal-Fired-Electricity-Generation-in-the-U.S..pdf
  18. 2012- Truthdig Report 1200 New Coal Plants Planned Worldwide: https://www.truthdig.com/articles/1200-new-coal-power-plants-planned-worldwide/  
  19. Geni.org Over 1000 New Coal Plants Planned in 2012 Guardian: https://www.geni.org/globalenergy/library/technical-articles/transmission/the-guardian/more-than-1000-new-coal-plants-planned-worldwide,%20figures-show/index1.shtml  
  20. POWER Mag Aug. 2009, City of Springfield Dahlman Coal Plant Startup, Plant of Year:  https://www.powermag.com/city-of-springfields-cwlp-dallman-4-earns-powers-highest-honor/  
  21. TXU Faces a Texas Coal Rush, CNN Business, 2007, 11 New Coal Plants Planned: https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2007/02/19/8400164/index.htm
  22. U.S. Coal Generation by Analysis Group, 2023: https://www.analysisgroup.com/globalassets/insights/publishing/2023-tierney-coal-generation-report.pdf
  23. Statista Coal Power Plants Planned for Future by Country as of July 2024: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1276614/capacity-of-proposed-coal-power-plants-by-country/
  24.  Wikipedia List of U.S. Coal Power Plants: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_coal-fired_power_stations_in_the_United_States
  25. EIA News Nov. 2022  on a Quarter of U.S. Coal Capacity to retire by 2029: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=54559
  26. EIA Coal Power Generation as of March 2025: https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/eia860m/
  27. IER Coal Plant Retirements since 2010: https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/fossil-fuels/coal/u-s-coal-fired-power-plants-continue-to-retire/
  28. EIA Coal Plant Retirements 2010-2019: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=40212  
  29. Washington Examiner articles on Coal power: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/tag/coal/#google_vignette
  30. Energy and Economic Prosperity, Talk to Delaware County Bar Association, July 2016: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2016/07/25/energy-and-economic-prosperity-my-thoughts-dick-storm/
  31. The Importance of Energy for Economic Prosperity, Part 4, The Rise of the U.S and the Rise of China from an energy perspective: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2020/09/21/part-4-the-importance-of-energy-to-economic-prosperity/
  32. Global Energy Monitor report on FP&L Glades Power Plant cancellation, 2007: https://www.gem.wiki/Glades
  33. The SWAMP MONSTER vs. 300 Million Americans, Feb. 21, 2025: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/02/21/the-swamp-monster-vs-the-best-interests-of-the-united-states-of-america/
  34. Donn Dears book, “Clean Energy Crisis” 2022
  35. IEA World Energy Prices, Dec. 2024: https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/data-product/energy-prices#energy-prices-and-taxes
  36. Western Electricity Markets reports: https://www.westerneim.com/Pages/About/QuarterlyBenefits.aspx
  37.  Isaac Orr and Mitch Rolling Substack article summarizing the J.P. Morgan Chase 2025 Energy report: https://open.substack.com/pub/energybadboys/p/9-takeaways-from-the-jp-morgan-chase?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  38. Heliocentrism, March 4th , 2025, J.P. Morgan Chase Energy Report: https://assets.jpmprivatebank.com/content/dam/jpm-pb-aem/global/en/documents/eotm/heliocentrism.pdf
  39. Thomas Troszak articles on the fallacy of renewables: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335083312_Why_do_we_burn_coal_and_trees_to_make_solar_panels?
  40. Thomas Troszak Energy Highlights contained in NATO Report on Energy and Security: https://www.enseccoe.org/publications/energy-highlights-no-16/
  41. Rafe Champion website, March 18, 2025: https://www.flickerpower.com/index.php/search/categories/general/list-of-briefing-notes
  42. National Mining Association, (NMA) https://mineralsmakelife.org/blog/early-action-signals-progress-us-mineral-independence-still-hangs-in-balance/
  43.  EIA on Electricity Growth of AI centers: https://www.energy.gov/articles/doe-releases-new-report-evaluating-increase-electricity-demand-data-centers
  44. Utility Dive, Rising Demand Could Increase Electricity Prices 19% by 2028, Electricity Growth 68% by 2050: https://www.utilitydive.com/news/us-electricity-prices-19-percent-higher-2028-ICF/727317/
  45. EIA Energy Outlook, March 11, 2025: https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/steo/report/elec_coal_renew.php
  46. America’s Treasure of Fossil Fuels, Update of 2011 presentation to ASME: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/11/26/americas-treasure-of-fossil-fuels/
  47.  American Dream = 100 Quadrillion BTUs per Year April 7, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/04/american-dream-100-quadrillion-btus/
  48.   Providing a Sustainable Million BTUs per Day/Person, May 17,  2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/05/17/providing-a-sustainable-million-btus-per-day-per-person-by-fuel-source/
  49.  “The War on Carbon, How it Came to Be”, Oct. 16, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/10/16/the-war-on-carbon-how-it-came-to-be/
  50. Energy and Economic Prosperity, Jan. 11, 2021: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/01/03/energy-and-economic-prosperity/
  51. Energy and World Peace, April, 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/04/05/energy-world-peace/
  52. Without New Thinking on Nuclear Power, Anti-Carbon Policy Can’t Succeed, Nov. 11, 2021 : https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2021/11/13/without-new-thinking-on-nuclear-power-anti-carbon-climate-policy-cant-succeed/
  53. The Rise and Fall and Rise Again  of Nations and the  Realities of Energy: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/08/15/the-rise-fall-and-rise-again-of-nations-and-the-realities-of-energy/
  54. America Needs 100 Quadrillion BTUs of Primary Energy Each Year, May 16, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/16/back-to-basics-the-u-s-needs-100-quadrillion-btus-year-of-primary-energy/  
  55. Pillars of Modern Civilization, Ammonia, Food, Steel, Concrete, Plastics, Aluminum, July 2022: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/25/pillars-of-modern-civilization-all-dependent-on-energy/
  56. How Can a 6,000 MW Utility that will be a 9,000MW Utility in 2050, become Net-Zero Carbon? April 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/04/27/how-can-a-6000-mw-regional-utility-in-2030-which-likely-will-be-a-9000-mw-utility-in-2050-achieve-net-zero-carbon/
  57. Dick Storm Blog post, “Wake Up Americans!” Sept. 21, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/09/20/please-wake-up-america-your-energy-and-electricity-generation-reliability-are-at-risk/
  58. THE ERA OF RELIABLE, AFFORDABLE, ENERGY AND ELECTRICITY GENERATION: PART 1
    https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/10/04/the-era-of-reliable-affordable-energy-and-electricity-generation-part-1/
  59. The Green Energy Crisis is Here, Part 1, Sept. 17, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/05/29/the-green-energy-crisis-is-here-part-1/
  60. The Green Energy Crisis, Part 2, “Meet Some of the People that Caused it”,  June 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/06/14/green-energy-crisis-part-2-meet-the-policy-makers-that-caused-it/
  61. The Green Energy Crisis, Part 3, June 26, 2023: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2023/06/26/green-energy-crisis-part-3-public-energy-education-is-needed-each-person-in-the-u-s-uses-about-315-million-btus-of-primary-energy-year-this-is-not-practical-or-even-possible-to-replace-with-win/
  62. EPA New Source Review  Settlements Summaries: https://www.gem.wiki/EPA_Coal_Plant_Settlements
  63. EPA Settlements on NSR violations by WEPCO 2003: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/wisconsin-electric-power-company-wepco-clean-air-act-civil-settlement 
  64. Dissertation on the Sierra Club Success of Beyond Coal Campaign 2020: https://www.proquest.com/openview/b734be1b4fa402463fbb2ee03a7993e5/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
  65. Inside the War on Coal Politico, The Agenda 2015: https://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2015/05/inside-war-on-coal-000002/
  66. NRDC China Office: https://chinadevelopmentbrief.org/ngos/natural-resources-defense-council-nrdc/  
  67. Government Accountability Office Report on Environmental Protection Agency–Application of Publicity or Propaganda and Anti-Lobbying Provisions
    EPA Lobbying, 2015: https://www.gao.gov/products/b-326944 
  68. NRDC About us and link to IRS 990 Form: https://www.nrdcactionfund.org/about/
  69. Influence Watch, NRDC page: https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/natural-resources-defense-council-nrdc/
  70. Washington Examiner: Gina McCarthy CEO of NRDC: https://eelegal.org/washington-examiner-gina-mccarthy-and-nrdc-together-again/
  71. Wrong Kind of Green, NRDC and Source Watch: https://www.wrongkindofgreen.org/the-group-of-ten/natural-resources-defense-council/
  72. Bezos awards $100 million to NRDC : https://www.nrdc.org/media/2020/201116
  73. Bezos plans to give Billions to Environmental Org’s: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/20/jeff-bezos-pledges-1-billion-to-conservation-through-bezos-earth-fund.html
  74. Activist Facts,  Environmental Report (Follow the Money): https://www.activistfacts.com/organizations/19-natural-resources-defense-council/
  75. Washington Examiner 2013 EPA and Sue and Settle Lawsuits: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/epas-back-room-sue-and-settle-deals-require-reform
  76. Activist Facts, Sierra Club, Beyond Coal, Beyond Gas, Nuclear :https://www.activistfacts.com/organizations/194-sierra-club/
  77. Mother Jones 2012, Sierra Club “War on Coal” update to kill 167 coal plants: https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2012/04/map-american-coal-plants/
  78. AEP Newsletter to employees and Retirees on Turk Plant Settlement: https://aepretirees.com/2011/12/22/aep-resolves-all-legal-challenges-against-turk-plant-plant-on-track-to-begin-commercial-operation-in-2012/
  79. PowerEngineering Articles on Turk and Duke Coal plant closures, 2/01/2012: https://www.power-eng.com/renewables/aep-resolves-all-legal-challenges-against-turk-plant/#gref
  80. Source Watch Brags on NRDC being responsible for forcing shutting down of Seven major coal plants in Texas in 2007: 
    https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Natural_Resources_Defense_Council#Support_for_coal_gasification
  81. Environmental Defense Fund: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_Defense_Fund
  82. Influence Watch profile of EDF: https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/environmental-defense-action-fund/
    Paul Driessen Federalist Papers on Global Warming News: https://thefederalist.com/category/science/global-warming/
  83. Dick Storm Blog Short Link, Energy and Food Production: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-vU
  84. WUWT, Article, July 8, 2022, Green Communism, Eradicate the Energy Privilege of Rich Countries:  https://wattsupwiththat.com/2022/07/08/green-communism-eradicate-the-energy-privilege-of-rich-countries/
  85. Short Links to Dick Storm Blog: the War on Carbon, How it Came to Be, Oct. 2021: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-ek
  86. Short Link: American Dream= 100 Quadrillion Btu’s: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/07/04/american-dream-100-quadrillion-btus/
  87. Short Link to Example of a Balanced Portfolio: 
    https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2022/06/08/balanced-portfolio-of-generation-here-is-an-example/ 
  88. Capital Research Center, Excellent resources for checking policy influencers. Here is one example of their work in 2010 on exposing the Sierra Club: https://capitalresearch.org/article/the-sierra-clubs-war-on-coal/