Energy Secretary Rick Perry Seeks Study on the U.S. Electrical Grid

Energy Secretary Rick Perry has requested a DOE study on the U.S. electrical grid to determine whether policies that boost renewable energy are accelerating the retirement of coal and nuclear plants.

The study request will target federal regulations and support for renewable energy that he says could risk production of baseload power in the future. 

Secretary Perry's request comes as a number of states have moved to subsidize baseload generation, particularly nuclear plants, that cannot compete with cheap natural gas and renewable energy in wholesale power markets.