Attention Lawmakers: Embrace Affordable Energy

STATES NEED TO ACT: The East Coast’s signature climate policy is poised to spike electricity prices — just as governors are desperate to lower them. There is a better method, one which we hope more states will consider. Louisiana and Ohio have led the way, with others working on legislation.

Why it matters: Nearly 60 million Americans from every state list energy affordability as an important issue. ARC Energy Security legislation focuses on affordability first for that very reason.

With gas prices increasing due to the Iran conflict, lawmakers more than ever need to focus on the issue of energy affordability.

• A carbon-trading program that covers power plants across 10 mostly blue states from Maine to Maryland is undergoing a price shock.
• Permit costs to burn fossil fuels hit a record high this week before cooling after market intervention — volatility that could foreshadow billions in added energy costs.
• The move could add even more per month to already high electricity bills across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

That is exactly what Americans — particularly those regions — do NOT need.
The exact impact will vary by utility, but the political fallout is already coming into focus as Republicans look to regain the upper hand on energy policy.

“It’s a bait and switch,” said Delegate Michael Webert, a Republican in the Virginia House. “It’s essentially a hidden tax. It raises the cost of energy.”

Many, including this columnist, blame the Democrats solely for the high prices.

Regardless, lawmakers on both sides should remember their constituents, including those who are low-income to middle-income, on fixed incomes, disabled and those who own small businesses. Any hike in energy prices hits them the hardest.

Bottom line: Affordable energy includes natural gas, but isn’t limited to it. Passing the ARC Energy Security Act must be a priority for all 535 members of Congress.

But data centers aren’t uniformly unpopular. A Politico poll from February found that 37% of respondents would support the creation of a new data center in their area, while 28% would oppose it.

Natural gas is powering the AI boom, supplying more than 40% of electricity for U.S. data centers. Needing reliable 24/7 power and rapid deployment, tech giants like Google, Meta, and Amazon are increasingly turning to behind-the-meter gas turbines to bypass grid constraints.