The Biden administration's latest federal power grab is trying to commandeer the Texas electric grid, but the state is not taking it lying down. Texas is leading a coalition of 19 states suing the administration over a new federal rule that requires states to "optimize" their grid to allow more green energy sources like wind and solar. The rule issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is part of what the administration calls its "energy transition" to more renewable sources.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says the rule is an illegal federal breach of states' rights to manage their own grids and allocate electricity. In a statement, Paxton says, "I am proud to lead this coalition to stop this unlawful scheme that would drive up energy costs and reduce reliability of the resources our nation needs most to flourish."
Indeed, the rule would impose a costly new burden on states. "They're talking about having to do massive infrastructure changes that are gonna cost in the billions," says Larry Behrens, communications director for the energy advocacy group Power The Future. "And who is gonna foot the bill for that? Either taxpayers through incentives or ratepayers through their bills."
Beyond the unfunded and exorbitant cost is the dirty little secret of "renewables." They actually make the grid less efficient and reliable, at a time when Texas is already facing questions about its grid reliability. "There's a reason they did this through FERC...they knew if they took it through Congress these questions would be raised," says Behrens. "What they are requiring people to do is to pay for power that is intermediate...the sun has the audacity to go down every single day, the wind power is not gonna work when the wind isn't blowing, and Texas knows this better than so many states."