Central ND News

Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak (R-ND) addressed the House Floor to highlight the increasing threats to America's energy reliability. She emphasized that two-thirds of the United States is at risk of not having enough reliable power to meet demand and proposed five solutions to address this issue.

Fedorchak began her speech with a hypothetical scenario, imagining a sudden blackout in Washington, D.C., and its potential consequences. She connected this scenario to real risks faced by her home state of North Dakota, where extreme cold could have severe impacts if power were lost.

"The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) warns that two-thirds of the United States is at an elevated risk of blackouts—of not having enough reliable power to meet demand when we need it the most," she stated.

Fedorchak attributed the problem to retiring power plants faster than they are being replaced. "In states throughout our nation, power providers are shutting down massive amounts of traditional power generation from power plants that can be turned up or down as needed to follow demand," she explained.

She outlined five key steps to improve grid reliability: regulatory relief, reevaluating federal incentives for energy production, speeding up the permitting process, implementing rules that protect grid reliability, and understanding the growing demands of AI industries.

On regulatory relief, Fedorchak argued for repealing certain federal regulations that hinder energy producers. "These are just a few examples of Biden administration policies that have imposed crushing costs and regulatory burdens on the power sector," she said.

Regarding federal incentives, she called for realignment away from subsidies favoring weather-dependent resources. "It’s time to realign these incentives," Fedorchak urged.

She also highlighted the need for faster approval processes for new energy projects and stressed protecting grid reliability by ensuring replacements are ready before retiring existing plants. "We cannot afford to gamble with our nation’s energy security," she warned.

Finally, Fedorchak noted the increasing energy demands driven by AI technologies and advocated for an all-inclusive strategy encompassing various energy sources. "Our security, our economy, and our way of life depend on it," she concluded.

Fedorchak's remarks underscored her commitment to addressing what she views as a critical issue affecting national security and economic stability.