ST. PAUL – House Democrats on Thursday approved legislation which Rep. Ben Davis, R-Mission Township, said increases consumer energy prices, reduces power reliability and ultimately compromises safety.
The bill (H.F. 7) extends and increases Minnesota’s renewable energy standard to 55 percent by 2035 and requires electric utilities in the state to generate or acquire 100 percent carbon-free energy by 2040.
A report from the Center of the American Experiment estimates the Walz/Democrat plan to move to 100 percent carbon free electricity by 2040 will cost $313 billion, or nearly $3,900 per family per year. Davis said the same study indicates the return on these massive consumer costs would be negligible at best, paying to potentially avert 0.00096 degrees Celsius of warming by 2100.
“Our state’s energy policy should be geared toward ensuring Minnesotans have access to affordable, reliable power,” Davis said. “We need to have all options available for a diversified grid. Instead, this ‘Blackout Bill’ House Democrats approved takes us the absolute wrong direction, raising costs and exposing Minnesota to the dangers of unreliable power.”
Davis said the Midcontinent Independent Systems Operator currently has reported a 1,200-megawatt capacity shortfall, indicating Minnesota already doesn’t have enough reliable power-plant capacity online to meet expected peak electricity demand. He added that MISO warnings of capacity shortfalls for peak periods will become more commonplace if our state continues to rely more on intermittent, weather-dependent energy sources as House Democrats propose.
“I personally just experienced a weather-related power outage that lasted multiple days and can’t imagine the damage that could be caused by more frequent, widespread occurrences,” Davis said. “It could reach crisis levels, especially for our more vulnerable friends and family, but House Democrats don’t appear to be taking this issue seriously.
“We all want clean energy, so let’s work on diversifying the state’s grid responsibly by harnessing advancements in new nuclear technology, carbon capture and storage, and other lower-cost alternatives for reducing carbon emissions.”
Republicans offered amendments intended to improve H.F. 7, including by allowing generation and transmission outfits to evaluate their own criteria on whether to modify or delay standard obligations. Davis said this takes the decision-making away from the Public Utilities Commission and provides a more flexible, common-sense approach allowing for market-based solutions instead of government mandates.
House Democrats blocked that amendment and other Republican proposals before approving the bill and sending to the Senate for a vote.
-30-