WASHINGTON, Oct. 25, 2017 - Saying the federal government should not pick winners and losers in energy markets, a group of U.S. manufacturers urged the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to terminate the Energy Department’s proposed rule, which they say would prop up unprofitable coal and nuclear plants. “If implemented, the proposal would override the market’s ability to select the most efficient units, increase the electricity costs by many millions of dollars for untold numbers of businesses and consumers, and result in substantial loss of U.S. manufacturing capacity of jobs,” the group said in comments filed with FERC. The proposal would provide cost recovery for plants with a 90-day fuel supply onsite. The group called the fundamental premise of the proposal “unfounded” and said the “gradual retirement of old, uneconomic generation units is an ongoing process that reflects the proper functioning of competitive markets.” The group includes the Electricity Consumers Resource Council, American Chemistry Council, American Forest & Paper Association, American Iron and Steel Institute, and several state industrial energy groups.
