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Pros and Cons of Renewable and Conventional Electricity Generation in the Red State of S.C., Part 2

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The S.C. Legislature had two choices: 1. Keep Electricity prices reasonable to keep low electricity costs for citizens plus, attract more industry or 2. Transition to Solar, Wind, Batteries, Natural Gas and create significantly higher electric bills. They chose option 2. just as most U.S. Blue states did…

The experiences of most countries and U.S. states that have “transitioned” to renewable energy has caused electricity prices to sharply rise and caused de-industrialization. Yet, the U.S. policymakers continue the “War on Coal” by implementing harmful Net-Zero Carbon policies. The Green New Deal/Inflation Reduction Act policy momentum continues into 2026. Investments in new electricity generation for fiscal year 2026, according to the EIA is still over 90% renewables. That’s right, not one Dispatchable or Base Load coal or nuclear plant is planned for construction in 2026, according to the EIA as of January 2026.

South Carolina although believed to be a very Conservative state, the energy policy is just as Blue as California or Massachusetts. The South Carolina law (S.C. Code Ann. §58-37-40) directs the retirement of coal-fired generation:

S.C. General Assembly — H.3194 (Session 124, 2021–2022)

Part 1 of this article covered Winter Storm Fern and the importance of coal to provide over 80% of the low country’s electricity production.

Let’s move forward to future planning for increasing generation to meet the growing Demand. Here below is the narrowly focused basis of low CO2 generation planning by Santee-Cooper (aka South Carolina Public Service Authority) updated IRP. As you can see, the primary driver of the type of new generation capacity is CO2 Emissions. Not Grid reliability, affordability, Dispatchability or industrial economics. This is in opposition to the Trump energy agenda and policy to exit the anti-American Paris Agreement and to repeal the CO2 Endangerment Finding and keep America strong. President Trump has done his part, our state, like many blue states and Deep State Bureaucrats, is continuing to trod down the destructive regulatory path of Net-Zero Carbon.

My Letter to S.C. Senator Davis, April 2025

I wrote to S.C. Senator Davis as a response to his Press Release asking for public comments. Here are some excerpts from my letter to Senator Davis:

“Electric Power Grids that have a high percentage of wind and solar must be backed up with fast start natural gas turbines or reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines (RICE). Because the cost component of the fuel used is up to 90% of the electricity production cost, then the electricity cost is as volatile as the fuel cost. Natural gas is a clean and abundant fuel. However, the cost of natural gas can vary from $2.00 per million BTU to $5.00 per million BTU. When the fuel cost varies, so does the electricity production cost. Sometimes doubling. The state electric rates of California, MA, CT and Hawaii are examples of extreme switches to renewables with natural gas or oil backup. Here are two slides used in presentations by me and other electricity generation experts during 2024. The ten highest cost states and ten lowest cost states are instructive when the sources of primary energy for electricity generation is considered. My blog referenced below has more references.”

This letter was written last year, well before the Iranian conflict began. Gas prices are likely to become more volatile and mostly higher when summer electricity Demand begins and of course, a lot higher next December.

“Repeal the S.C. Restrictions on Greenhouse Gases. The EPA Law referenced in the Santee-Cooper IRP and also applying to Dominion Energy and Duke, is flawed and in the process of properly being nullified by the new EPA Administrator. The shutting down of coal plants is the main reason why electric rates will increase, and Demand Response (Rationing) measures will need to be implemented.” (1. Below-From Santee-Cooper IRP)

“Maintain, Improve and Expand coal power generation in S.C. The lowest production cost electricity in S.C. is from the coal plants at the following plants: Cross, Cope, Winyah, Williams and Wateree Generating Stations. The 600 MW Pee Dee Coal Plant that was planned to be built about 2010 should be constructed ASAP. The existing coal plants should be authorized to perform all required maintenance to keep in first class operating condition until such time that new nuclear capacity is put on line. “

“Build sufficient new coal generating capacity at the Santee-Cooper (South Carolina Public Service Authority) with the same Balanced Generation Portfolio of coal, nuclear and gas as has been the practice for over 80 years of reliable and affordable electricity production by Santee-Cooper.  Santee-Cooper is the primary supplier of electricity to Palmetto Electric and the generation assets are over 60% coal fueled.”

“Stop the building of more non-Dispatchable solar and wind power generation systems. Stop subsidies and incentives for Solar, Wind and Battery Storage Systems (BESS). Why? Because shutting down of reliable, dispatchable, affordable coal plants has been done by these other states and the electricity costs are the highest in our country. California, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Connecticut and Rhode Island. (2. EIA  list of U.S. Electric Rates by state)Also, the high cost, non-competitive electricity experiences of Germany, Scandinavia and the UK are instructive. (3.) “

Included in the letter to Senator Davis was a couple charts, including this one of the renewable premium paid in electricity costs in various countries of the world.

I have written an article on my blog which outlines the good results of coal plants (such as Santee-Cooper’s excellent record of 80 years) and the references to other states and countries that have abandoned coal fuel. The blog post is here.

As of this writing, the S.C. Legislature has not budged from the the Net Zero path to increased electricity costs and less reliability.

Conclusion: S.C. is Planning for Electricity Price Rises and Less Grid Reliability

The previous blog posts showed many details of Palmetto Electric’s Bulk Power Supply, from Santee-Cooper. Here, here, here, here and here.

By planning for Net Zero Carbon, South Carolina is planning for higher electricity costs in lieu of building new coal plants to preserve our position as one of the states with the most Industry and consumer friendly low electric rates.

Additional references are listed below to show the clear rise in electric rates as more dependence on variable generation and battery storage. Another consideration is resistance to fuel interruptions during times of war, such as we have now. Coal power generation has the inherent advantage of storing weeks or months of primary energy in a coal pile on site.

Yours truly,

Dick Storm, March 17, 2026

References and information for further reading and research

  1. Santee-Cooper 2025 IRP Update  https://www.santeecooper.com/About/Integrated-Resource-Plan/presentations/Santee-Cooper-2025-IRP-Update.pdf
  2. Blue States are Like Watermellons, with electricity policy: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/blue-states-are-like-watermelons?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
  3. Mitch Rolling and Isaac Orr article on Obama caused escalating electricity prices: https://open.substack.com/pub/energybadboys/p/necessarily-skyrocket?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
  4. Example of Solar Panel Robustness during severe weather event in Indiana. March 2026: NIPSCO Solar Farm Destruction from Tornado, March 2026: https://open.substack.com/pub/energybadboys/p/solar-scattered-coal-still-standing?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
  5. CO2 Coalition — Striking Down the Endangerment Finding  https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/striking-down-the-endangerment-finding
  6. VJ Jayaraj (CO2 Coalition), Sept. 2025  https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/every-new-airport-every-new-highway
  7. S.C. Grid Info  https://www.gridinfo.com/south-carolina
  8. Winter Storm Fern Energy Review (Kilovar)  https://open.substack.com/pub/kilovar1959/p/fuel-the-january-26-winter-storms
  9. Isaac Orr and Mitch Rolling on Blue States, High Rates: https://energybadboys.substack.com/p/blue-states-high-rates
  10. Staggering Cost of New England Electricity  https://yankeeinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/ISO-NE-r3b.pdf
  11. Big Beautiful Bill Must Stop Subsidizing Green Power  https://www.realclearenergy.org/articles/2025/05/28/the_big_beautiful_bill_must_stop_subsidizing_unreliable_power_grids_1112902.html
  12. Renewables Blueprint (American Experiment)  https://files.americanexperiment.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Renewable-Energy.pdf
  13. Electricity Prices by State (Electric Choice)  https://www.electricchoice.com/electricity-prices-by-state/
  14. President’s Executive Order on the Energy Emergency: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/declaring-a-national-energy-emergency/
  15. Electric Rates by State (This Old House)  https://www.thisoldhouse.com/electricity/electricity-rates-by-state
  16. Alex Epstein — China Solar Panels and Coal Power  https://alexepstein.substack.com/p/talking-points-roundup-us-nuclears
  17. 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
  18. 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/
  19. Coal’s Final Battle, May 18, 2024: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2024/05/20/coals-final-battle/
  20. 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
  21. 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/
  22. 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/
  23. 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/
  24. 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/
  25. The EPA “Endangerment Finding” and why it Needs to Go, Feb. 2, 2025: https://wp.me/p5DzAo-1ZW
  26. 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/
  27. 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 
  28. 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
  29.  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/
  30. David Siegel videos on Climate Change: https://www.cuttingthroughthenoise.net/climate-curious 
  31. 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 
  32. 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/
  33. Coal Power, It is the End Result that Matters!:  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/03/28/coal-power-it-is-the-end-result-that-counts/
  34. 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/
  35. 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/
  36.  Clean Energy Crisis, May 2, 2025     https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/05/02/clean-energy-crisis-2/
  37. 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
  38. 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/
  39. 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/
  40. 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/
  41. 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
  42. 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/
  43. 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
  44. 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/    
  45. 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
  46. 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/
  47. 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/
  48. 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/
  49. Reality of Building 32,000 MW of New Generation Capacity/Year. Solutions; Build New Coal Plants Now!,  https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2025/10/22/reality-of-32000-mw-year-of-new-generation-demand-solution-build-new-coal-plants-now/
  50. Power for the U.S.A. Reality of Building 32,000 MW each year: https://powerfortheusa.com/2025/10/22/reality-of-32000-mw-year-of-new-generation-demand-solution-build-new-coal-plants-now/
  51. The Importance of Coal and Thermal Performance Improvements for Heat-Rate and Resiliency: https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2026/02/08/the-importance-of-coal-thermal-performance-considerations-for-heat-rate-and-resiliency/
    https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/look-at-the-data-the-demise-of-coal?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
     
    https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/look-at-the-data-the-demise-of-coal?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
  52. Pros and Cons of Conventional and Renewables in the Red State of S.C.:     https://dickstormprobizblog.org/2026/03/11/pros-and-cons-of-conventional-and-renewables-electricity-generation-in-the-red-state-of-south-carolina-part-1/
  53.  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
  54. Don’t believe the journalists of the MSM, Here are many Scientific Papers that dispute the affects of manmade Climate Change: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2022/01/14/nearly-140-scientific-papers-detail-the-minuscule-effect-co2-has-on-earths-temperature/
  55. Dr. Timothy Ball on the Corruption of Science, 2014: https://www.alachuacounty.us/Depts/epd/EPAC/BOOK%20REVIEW%20-%20‘THE%20DELIBERATE%20CORRUPTION%20OF%20CLIMATE%20SCIENCE%20by%20TIM%20BALL.pdf
  56. CO2 Coalition Website with many Facts and articles: https://co2coalition.org/facts/
  57. Ken Haapala and the Science and Environmental Policy Project:http://sepp.org/twtwfiles/2022/TWTW%209-10-2022.pdf
  58. Professor Richard Lindzen of MIT, Article on his views on Climate Change: https://clintel.org/the-imaginary-climate-crisis-how-can-we-change-the-message-a-talk-by-richard-lindzen/
  59. WUWT Sept. 2021, Summary of William Happer (Happer is Princeton Professor of Physics) and Wijngaarden   : https://wattsupwiththat.com/2021/09/21/the-greenhouse-effect-a-summary-of-wijngaarden-and-happer/
  60. Climate Activism, WUWT March 23, 2022: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2022/03/23/climate-change-is-about-control-stupid-not-the-environment/ 
  61.  POWER Magazine, Sonal Patel, Sept 9, 2022, EPA Rules likely to shut down about 86 GW of coal generation in next few years: https://www.powermag.com/group-epas-coordinated-regulatory-assault-on-coal-power-could-push-retirements-beyond-86-gw-by-2030/?oly_enc_id=3247D5884312C9W
  62. Perhaps some day a Documentary will be made to summarize how Coal was Demonized by NGOs, government, WEF, MSM, Entertainment, Dark Money, and Environmental Extremists just as nuclear power was during the 1970 and 1980’s? Here is “Pandora’s Promise”, 2013 Movie to Expose the Facts about Nuclear Power and how it was wrongly Demonized, causing the collapse of the nuclear Supply-Chain. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMutoR8YTlQ
  63. NIPSCO Solar Farm Destruction from Tornado, March 2026: https://open.substack.com/pub/energybadboys/p/solar-scattered-coal-still-standing?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
  64. Mid America Energy, video of building a wind turbine and the enormous quantities of steel and concrete required for each one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84BeVq2Jm88
  65. Thomas J. Shepstone and Ron Stein on the Trillions wasted on wind and solar generation, March 2026: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/8-trillion-of-investment-into-wind?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
  66. $8 Trillion in Investment and all we get from Wind, Solar and other renewables and all we get for it is Higher Electric Bills, Thomas J. Shepstone, Jr, Ron Stein, et al: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/8-trillion-of-investment-into-wind?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
  67. Capital Research Center on Warren Buffett’s Solar and Wind generation: https://capitalresearch.org/article/wind-power-doesnt-make-sense-without-the-tax-credits-part-1/
  68. 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
  69. 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
  70. 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
  71. 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  
  72. Thomas J. Shepstone on Pennsylvania Solar project failure when tax subsidies were removed, March 2026: https://open.substack.com/pub/energysecurityfreedom/p/centre-county-solar-project-goes?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
  73. 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/
  74. 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
  75. 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
  76. 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
  77. Why are California Electricity Prices So High?, Sub Stack: https://open.substack.com/pub/mestes/p/why-are-californias-electricity-prices?r=kv1a9&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
  78. Excellent article by Tilak Doshi, Renewables are Not Cheap, Dec. 2025, WUWT, https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/12/06/time-to-stop-pretending-renewables-are-cheap/
  79. Energy Bad Boys article on Electricity, Highest Rates in Red and Blue States, Dec. 13, 2025:  https://open.substack.com/pub/energybadboys/p/blue-states-high-rates?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web  
  80. Energy Bad Boys Great Chart of Electricity Prices by States, Dec. 27, 2025: https://open.substack.com/pub/energybadboys/p/visualizing-2026?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
  81. 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/
  82. 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/

#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#//
  125. China is building almost all of the new coal plants in the world in 2024, POWER Magazine, Feb. 2024: https://www.powermag.com/global-domination-china-accounts-for-nearly-all-new-coal-fired-power-plant-construction/?utm_source=CP&utm_medium=email&utm_id=02072024&oly_enc_id=3247D5884312C9W
  126. WUWT Steve Goreham article “Electricity Generation vs Green Goals” Feb. 28, 2024: https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/02/27/electric-power-vs-green-goals/  
  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
  128. EPA Air Quality Report, Nov. 2023: https://www.epa.gov/air-trends/air-quality-national-summary
  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/