A common-sense law, not empty promises

November 3, 2025

There’s a new bill in town that embraces the affordable, reliable and clean energy principles that TEA has been promoting since day one. The Affordable, Reliable, Clean Energy Security Act would create simple and straightforward definitions in law for what is affordable, reliable and clean energy.

Putting simple definitions behind these terms will finally create the policy environment necessary to stop the “Green New Deal”-style games that politically-motivated extremists have been playing with our energy supply for the last several years. Rather than the government blocking productivity and driving up costs by picking winners and losers, this bill will set fair and sensible rules under which the best energy options for everyday Americans win.

Here’s how it breaks down

Introduced by Congressman Troy Balderson (OH-12), this bill will protect every American’s access to their energy birthright. And, the best part, this legislation is simple and built on one of our favorite things here at TEA—good, old-fashioned common sense, not empty green promises and political slogans.

This is how the press release from Rep. Balderson’s office puts it: “Upon enactment, the legislation would require relevant federal agencies—such as the Department of Energy, Department of the Interior, and the Environmental Protection Agency—to review any actions relating to affordable, reliable, or clean energy within 90 days and submit a report to Congress. The bill guarantees that our most affordable and reliable energy sources, including nuclear and natural gas, remain part of the energy mix – a crucial requirement to guarantee affordable and reliable energy for American households and businesses. Agencies would be directed to ensure that rulemaking, grant programs, and policies are updated to reflect and incorporate the definitions established in this bill, and submit a final report to Congress within 180 days detailing their implementation.”

Step #1: Affordability

The Affordable, Reliable, Clean Energy Security Act defines “affordable” energy as “a low cost method of producing electricity, factoring in the full system cost of each generation source.”

Now, we all know how important affordable energy is for the health and success of everyday American families and businesses. In 2024, the National Energy Assistance Directors Association found that nearly 25 percent of U.S. households—and one-third of homes with children—wouldn’t be able to afford their summer energy bills. Even the smallest jump in prices can make a huge different for a household on a fixed income.

So, the best part of this act’s take on affordability is that phrase “full system cost.” Often when you see cost statistics for different energy sources, they don’t account for hidden factors—government subsidies that go heavily to “green” energy source like wind and solar, the cost of cycling our power supply up and down to accommodate these intermittent and unreliable power sources and added infrastructure costs trying to get “green” energy to the people who need power.

But this act would guarantee that when the government analyzes the cost of energy going forward, it will look at the WHOLE picture. And, that whole picture shows just how costly the political push for “green” energy has been for everyday Americans. An analysis by the Heartland Institute found that when looking at the full system cost of electricity in a state like Texas, traditional energy sources like natural gas and nuclear energy were far more affordable than wind and solar—in fact, solar energy cost consumers a whopping 10 times more than natural gas to produce the same electricity!

Step #2: Reliability

The next common-sense definition the act provides is for “reliable.” The act says energy reliability means “a source of electricity that—except as required during a period of routine maintenance or repairs, has an Effective Load Carrying Capability of 60 percent or greater; is not subject to intermittent availability; and is not subject to routine weather that impacts energy production.” 

Now, what does all that mean? Well, “Effective Load Carrying Capability (ELCC)” is a mouthful but it basically means exactly what it says. It’s a measure of how much a power source can reliably contribute to the electrical grid, especially during times of peak demand. According to regional transmission organization PJM, nuclear power has a 95% ELCC and natural gas is nearly 80%. On the other hand, onshore wind energy is 38% and solar is a dismal 10-14%.

Reliability is so important for obvious reasons. We’ve all experienced power outages and they cost us time and money at best. At worst, if they happen during times of extreme weather, it can be a matter of life or death. But, also, reliability and affordability go hand in hand. If a power source can’t stay on, power plants must ramp operations up and down and that makes energy cost more for consumers.

Which brings us to the easier-to-understand part of the act that addresses intermittent power availability. Wind and solar are intermittent. Quite simply, they don’t work all the time. And when they stop working, either the electrical grid must find another source or the power goes off. However, natural gas, coal and nuclear are baseload power sources, meaning they can provide reliable, on-demand power whenever it’s needed, and that keeps our power on and saves all of us money.

Step #3: Clean

And, last, the act defines clean energy as, “any energy generated using—an energy source listed in section 203(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15852(b)); a nuclear reactor; or the combustion of hydrocarbons, in accordance with the national ambient air quality standards under title I of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401, et seq.), including any such energy that is generated using natural gas.” Now, in layman’s terms, that all means that the act recognizes what we at TEA have been saying all along—the United States already has one of the strongest sets of policies to protect our environment of any nation on earth. And, as a result, we’ve already got the answers for clean energy, illustrated by the amazing emissions reductions we’ve had for decades.

Since 1970, combined emissions of key pollutants have dropped by 78% in the U.S., and we are a world leader in reducing emissions. Most of that is due to the increased use of natural gas for electricity generation. In fact, since 2005, natural gas used for power generation has cut nearly double the emissions that renewable sources like wind and solar have.

This is what we’ve been waiting for

The Affordable, Reliable and Clean Energy Security Act is the law that we’ve been waiting to see out of Washington, D.C. We’ve seen the success of such laws in states like Louisiana that have embraced the ARC ES principles. Now we are excited to support this common-sense law that prioritizes affordable energy that we can count on. Truly, an All-American Bill for All Americans!