We are looking at the reliably of the electric grid, with state utility were presented to us. You are watching live coverage on cspan 3. My heart is full of gratitude. That is the thought right now. To all of you, to my colleagues, to the staff, being the chairman of the house and conference committee, is the ultimate thing in congress. This is been the best. We have a whole other year ahead of us. Thank you for your service. [ applause ]. We have a lot of work to do. Go ahead and get started. State utility regulators have challenges. They have affordable electricity. They have this during this congress. They understand what drives the growing reliability crisis. This is from the entire electricity portfolio over an extended period of time. They have different retail choices. We are relying more on transitional organizations. This is due to environmental growing regulations and agencies. Fans will be on foster fuel generation, and market distortions. These factors are contributing to premature retirement for most of our reliable and most dispatched resources. As of the increased connected grid, they have a much wider impact from ever before. They are trying to look at the increasingly unreliable grade. They have a redundant transmission line. This system must be overbilled to make sure that there is power when the sun is down, and when the wind is blowing. Several states and regions, are carrying on with her ideological objective. They have a false sense of security. Their neighbors can continue to say that. It states like california and regions like new england, will have some of the most ambitious environmental goals. They have 50 of the total supply. This is about 15 of all business electricity from last year. The retail electricity rates are the highest rated where are they the highest . California and new england. Even with all the warnings about Administration Actions continuing the power plan, this threatens the regular reliable generations for existences. This will be on the reliability. Many states choose to ignore this guidance, in favor of their and radical environmental policies. Increasing the likelihood for blackouts. People know that when the lights went out, the state commissions and utilities were responsible. This is because of the changes and electricity landscape. It is clear who is rolling the state Utility Commissions. We must listen to the state utility experts about the reliability actions. Christmas learn what he must do to prevent further retirement of the reliable resources. Keep the electricity affordable. In particular, i want to welcome my constituent. They have the senior policy office. They have worked since 2019. Before he worked there, he worked at the colorado puc for 2020 to 21. We are advising the commissioners. Senior director of policy. The he supervises staff working across several functional areas. You should be here today to give us your wisdom. It also helps you regulate the electrical utilities are moving forward to the zone and businesses. Moving forward, one of the biggest impacts from this reliability, is going to be the Climate Crisis. We need to be clear about the stakes. Many of our colleagues have heard me say repeatedly, the Climate Crisis is existential. They have longer wildfire seasons, massive flooding, and colder temperatures throughout the window. On and on. A key component to the response of the Climate Crisis, is going to be the transition to leaner Energy Sources. They have different policies that these agencies develop. The witnesses represent clean energy deployment. This is directly from the short term, including all of our futures in the longterm. The bipartisan infrastructure law, which we enacted in 2021, they are looking at the Renewable Energy storage. This is about 10. 1 reliability and were flexible projects. President joe biden demonstration, have implemented Carbon Pollution standards for fossil fuel power plants. They are helping across the country. This includes powerline harboring hardening, which includes states like colorado. They are using this to try to insinuate that the transition to cleaner energy. This also means less reliable electricity. That is simply not the case. Here is the reality. Our current fossil fuel infrastructure has already proven its health incapable of extreme weather events. You can look at texas and other places. My home state of colorado is proving that transitioning to cleaner forms of energy, does not mean that you have to compromise unreliability. Colorado has been moving quickly in the direction of Renewable Energy. One of these utilities has received approval, to look at the new network, connecting with these resources. This is from 2040. They are looking at the existing transitions. All of the new wind, energy, and solar powers created. States like colorado, are transitioning to a reliable, cleaner Energy Sources. I know the two things that are conjoined. All of you folks sitting here today, their massive response ability. A lot is being asked of you. A lot is expected of you. I want to thank you in advance for everything you are doing. Im confident, giving the continual investments of these federal actions. We have the needs of the american people. We can all Work Together to have a smooth transition to cleaner energy. This does not sacrifice reliability. And trying to recognize the full committee. We cannot say this enough. Energy is foundational to everything we do. It heats our homes, powers our hospitals and businesses. We have driven technological innovation, and improved the wellbeing of all americans. We need to continue protecting and building on that legacy. They have regulatory restrictions. They have been driving up costs, and jeopardizing his legacy, and our grid reliability. We have seen base loads from sources being driven out or shuttered by radical policies across the country. These sources are being replaced by less reliable, more expensive, weather dependent generations. Every day, americans are paying the price. In some places, people are paying nearly double the nationwides averages. In places like california, it has become such a problem, the states have increasing reliable power, including my home state of washington. Balancing the grid when inconsistent resources like wind and solar, cant produce enough. They have different sources. They are trying to power peoples homes during periods of severe weather. Last winter, several state utilities have been able to get the Power Resources that they needed from neighboring states during a severe, cold event. Resulting in widespread blackouts. This is during the holidays. The north American ElectricalReliability Corporation, continues to include the reinforced aggravations. People need us most. We have real risks and impacts. This is before the Committee Last summer. We heard the same warnings from grid operators during the hearing last fall. There warnings were clear. While Renewable Energy from sources like wind and solar absolutely play a role in Americas Energy mix, they cannot replace reliable baseload sources. They are accelerating the retirement of baseload sources, without adequate replacements. They will only increase the risk of these lifethreatening blackouts, and will continue driving up the costs. Today, it is important to hear an important perspective. They are trying to get reportable, reliable state commissions. They have long been held responsible for ensuring Reliable Delivery of power at affordable rates. They will review the general Resource Planning to be sure that power will be available. They have reviewed decisions to build electrical transmissions, to determine whether it is necessary. The approval or disapproval of rate increases that can be part of the electric and protector. More and more, Utility Commissions are confronting policies from their own state legislators. Trying to retire baseload generations, with no longterm strategy to replace it. I have seen this in my own state of washington. Commissions have to contend with president joe bidens administration, and the top down policies that seem to force a premature retirement, driving up costs, and putting more people at risk. We have a lot of questions today, regarding how these policies are threatening the reliability of our grid. This is so foundational to our economy, and our way of life. Rather than a radical Energy Transition, we must expand our Energy Resources through all of the above strategies. These are currently paying more, while getting less, when it comes to electricity. We are trying to ensure that families dont have to worry about rationing energy. This is from the summer of winter months. Having to make tough choices about whether to pay the electric bill, trying to pay for their families. I look forward to your testimony. We have lots of questions. Thank you. Are you back. I recognize the committee. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Im not going to repeat what i said. I think most of you heard that already. I have to say that i am not happy about her leaving. I know that i cant do much about it. Maybe i would just like to say that you are the perfect example of what most people realize as a colleague. You can disagree about the policy. At the same time, you really like the person who is your colleague. You have that level of integrity that they have around here. We are going to Work Together to get things done the rest of the year. I will leave it at that. Today, we are ensuring that americans have the power to light and heat their homes. This is from the responsibility of the subcommittee. We are ensuring the electric grid reliability, knowing that it has changed medically. For most of a century, we relied on monopoly utilities that were responsible for every step of the electricity delivery chain. That will begin to change 25 years ago, which was part of the competition to the electricity markets across the nation. They have promoted new competitions. They have lower wholesale energy prices. They have reduced greenhouse emissions. All ensuring reliability. We can build Reliable Energy. We cant continue to rely on polluting fossil fuel plans, or pursuing the Climate Crisis. Instead, we must reduce greenhouse emissions. Reducing emissions of particular matters. This includes other pollutants. We know that these pollutants have Devastating Health impact on the communities, in which they are submitting these power plants. We simply cant allow these plans to continue to be unabated. Real technologies exist. These new technologies, are going to be critical as we continue the clean Energy Transition. Particularly looking at the reliable challenges and fossil fuel and researchers. Late 2022, we have dangerous winter conditions. Over 6 million customers, they have Power Outages from the storm. They were freezing from natural gas power plants. They have the inability to deliver gas to freezing conditions. After conducting a review of the outages, this is from the chair. They must fill the regulatory gaps that exist from reliability. They are trying to create reliability standards from electricity. Even though, many electric systems are basing the reliability. They have different transmissions and generations. They have no mandatory reliable requirements for the system. We cannot allow this double standard to continue. Many systems are only as reliable as their most unreliable component. The infrastructure that the power system relies upon, is reliable. That has serious consequences for electric reliability. Democrats delivered it. They have 25 billion to support reliability. They have announced over 7 billion in grants. They have capacity contracts. The electric and researcher have not been seen since rectification has been part of the new deal. These investments will greatly enhance reliability throughout the nation. This was all about the Energy Efficiency. 5. 5 billion from the bipartisan and researcher law. We have 9 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act. All of them today, know that we never have to use that. We have represented a huge, potential source of reliability, especially as patient rates increase two to patient resilience is. This is going to be cost effective. We separate everything. They can be from grid enhancing technologies, linking together but the previously separated grids. We must consider these elements. Frankly, i find it disappointing that so far, the republican majority has been willing to engage in this conversation. I yield back the balance of my time. I will conclude the opening statements. They are trying to be made part of the record. I wish everyone a happy valentines day. Happy ash wednesday. I want to thank you all for being here. We have time for the subcommittee. Each witness will have another opportunity to give another statement, following the questions from the members. They are going to be in front of you. Pretty selfexplanatory. Green, yellow, red read red, your time is expired. Yellow, you need to wrap up. I will introduce them. The Georgia Public Service commission, you pronounce that. Houston. Thank you. Chairman of the regulatory commission. Director of policy, Colorado Energy office. They admire the Arizona Corporation commission. Thank you. I yield my five minutes. Thank you for the invitation to speak today. We are looking at the Energy Climate and good security. The Commerce Community chair, i want to thank her for her leadership. Im a commissioner. Elected statewide, to maintain a safe, reliable, utility system, and one of the Fastest Growing states in the nation. Electricity generation and transmission are paramount to georgia. We operate in a shared operation and shared transmission format, to look at 41 electric coops. We have 49 musical providers. This shared system, provides a great economy of sale and other customers. This is mutually owned. Transmission is interconnected without cost redundancy across companies. The region is directly interconnected 25 neighboring regions. We are not an island. We have used every dollar to provide a more reliable system. In 2024, has had a critical juncture for more clean Energy Sources, experiencing asked oracle lucys historical actions. Technology acceptance, and new manufacturers from overseas, georgia has more of a power needed than ever before. We have the authority to instruct utilities, to construct generation and building transmissions, and the state of georgia holds a compact with the integrated utility. This is generous when our state consumes. This is similar to other southeastern states, looking at their utilities. Our georgia system gives the regulators all the transparency without the necessary bureaucracy. We are not looking at the short term gimmicks. This includes the transmission projects. Georgia still has the rate 10 below the national average. Today, we take a highly diversified approach. They are providing the baseload, which operates 24 7, 300 625. They are providing electricity when the sun shining with battery backup. Natural gas, has dispensable energy. All generations are operating from the summer and winter reserve margin. Georgia has become the number four state in the nation. They have a generated portfolio. It has never been more clear or accessible to customers. The proposed rule, puts all of this thoughtful strategy and implementation at great risk. They have the obligation to serve. They were trying to look at a healthy utility system. Epa 111, puts the regulators in a possible position. Penalizing utilities for generation facilities. This doesnt lie. They open the pandoras box for third parties to these utilities. The epa is looking at the control states. State agencies and officials, have deep expertise. They have research capabilities, analyzing planning for healthy systems. Consider this from utilities point of view. The obligations are here to serve. Trying to look at Generation Assets. They are being sued by environmentalists to look at the federal government. The stories is being made at a critical pinch period, where solar is failing. Demand is surging. The alternative is going to be forcing blackouts, and forcing themselves up for other actions. Now, consider this from a customers point of view. 78 of georgias customer bills, or to force epa complaints today. If they choose to uphold their legal obligations to serve, they are generating in ways that the action doesnt define any of that. This is all subject to legal action. This is all subject for legal actions. They are suffering three blackout. They have all of these other refrigerators. Potentially, their life is at risk. They have to be dependent upon electric city. It includes dialysis. Customers are getting hurt by these regulations. They are getting stuck with a bill. Realitybased relief outs, are not longterm Reliability Solutions either. Customers have already been charged for these assets. Regulators and utilities know their systems better than federal agencies. This is from any proposed federal relief. I thank you for your time. I thank you for your intention. Thank you for your willingness to listen, and consider your state regulators protected perspective. Thank you. We will go to your opening statement. Can you hear me okay . Good morning, chair rogers. Thank you for the Ranking Members. Members of the committee, i would like to do a special shout out to these congressmens from the great state of indiana. Take you for the privilege to appear before you this morning, providing indianas energy landscape, and how the