Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen joined a coalition with nine state attorneys general in opposing a notice of proposed rulemaking by the U.S. Department of Energy that they say would subsidize inefficient coal and nuclear power plants.
The attorneys general submitted their comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, arguing that the proposed rule offered by Energy Secretary Rick Perry would exempt coal and nuclear power plants from having to compete in the market with other sources of power, particularly renewable energy including wind and hydropower. The attorney general argued that such an action would add to customers”™ electric bills and disrupt the competition within the wholesale electric power market, adding that the continuation of coal-fired plants would contribute to pollution.
“The Department of Energy’s plan seeks to radically change the electric generation markets by subsidizing certain coal-fired and nuclear power plants despite their high cost and environmental harm,” Jepsen said. “This proposal could cause Connecticut consumers to pay considerably higher utility rates.”
Jepsen joined the attorneys general of California, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington in this action, and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection also voiced its opposition to the Energy Department”™s proposed rule.
