Companies Edison Electric Institute Follow
July 31 (Reuters) – The top U.S. utility lobby group intends to push back on the Biden administration’s proposals requiring upgrades to existing natural gas-fired power plants to curb climate-warming emissions, two sources familiar with the matter said on Monday.
Resistance from the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), which represents investor-owned utilities that serve 250 million people, to the proposal could pose a problem for U.S. President Joe Biden’s plan to decarbonize the country’s power sector by 2035 – a critical pillar of his climate change agenda.
The power industry accounts for a quarter of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, second only to transportation, according to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data.
The EPA’s plan would require large existing natural gas-fired plants that run at least 50% of the time to install carbon capture by 2035 or co-fire with 30% hydrogen by 2032.
The rules would also regulate coal and new natural gas plants separately.
EEI said it was still finalizing its comments on the proposed rule and would not provide specifics.
Top US utility group opposes emissions plan for existing gas plants-source
