A report by the North Dakota Transmission Authority, in collaboration with Always On Energy Research, has warned that President Joe Biden’s climate agenda is likely to lead to blackouts for millions of Americans. The study analyzed the impact of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new greenhouse gas regulations on the state’s power grid.
The researchers found that the EPA’s strict emissions standards make it “not technologically feasible” for lignite-based power generation facilities to operate. As a result, the state expects the premature retirement of reliable coal plants, which will be replaced by intermittent wind and solar power sources. This transition is expected to cost an additional $381.9 billion through 2055 compared to the current operating costs of the existing fleet.
The report also warns that the closure of lignite-fired power plants will increase the severity of projected future capacity shortfalls, leading to rolling blackouts. Larry Behrens, communications director for the energy non-profit Power the Future, described the situation as “two guarantees of Joe Biden’s energy failures”: less power and higher energy prices.
The findings corroborate warnings issued by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC) 2024 Summer Reliability Assessment, which cautioned that the power grid will face extreme stress under higher-than-average temperatures expected this summer. The report highlighted the rapid growth in electricity demand, driven by the adoption of electric vehicles and the construction of new data centers.
Alex Epstein, author of Fossil Future: Why Global Human Flourishing Requires More Oil, Coal, and Natural Gas–Not Less, explained that the increasing demand for electricity from data centers and artificial intelligence tools will put additional strain on the power grid. He noted that state-of-the-art data centers can require as much electricity as a large nuclear reactor, and that electricity demand from data centers could triple from 2.5% to 7.5% of total electricity use by 2030.
In 2022, California regulators urged residents not to charge their electric cars during a summer heat wave, as the state’s electrical infrastructure struggled to cope with the demand. The request came just after the California Air Resources Board delivered new regulations to ban gasoline-powered car sales by 2035.
Despite the disruptions to the power supply presented by intermittent renewables, the Biden administration has doubled down on its aggressive climate agenda. The White House has delivered several attacks on American coal, including a ban on new leases in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin, the nation’s most productive stretch of coal reserves. Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.) criticized the decision, saying it will impact every American’s access to affordable and reliable energy.
