By Sen. Martin Heinrich
WASHINGTON D.C. — During a U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to examine the state of the power grid, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., the Committee’s Ranking Member, delivered opening remarks, explaining the steps that can be taken to lower energy costs for consumers and strengthen the strained energy grid. The Trump administration’s cancellation of energy projects and war with Iran have exacerbated the nation’s energy crisis, skyrocketing costs for working families.
The hearing witnesses included Todd Snitchler, President and CEO of Electric Power Supply Association, Travis Fisher, Director of Energy and Environmental Policy Studies at the Cato Institute, and Dr. Liza Reed, Director of Climate and Energy Policy at the Niskanen Center, who spoke on transmission policies and grid reliability.
“The power grid is deeply personal for me: my father, Pete Heinrich, was an IBEW lineman for many decades. However, our grid is under growing strain from rising electricity demand, largely driven by data centers, advanced manufacturing, and electrification,” Heinrich said.“The demand for electricity is significantly outpacing the rate at which new, low-cost generation can connect to the grid. This imbalance has led to electricity bills rising by as much as 13% since President Trump took office.
“Fortunately, there is a way to help bring down electricity costs, while strengthening the grid’s reliability and resilience. First, we need to get more out of the grid we have… We must also build high-voltage transmission lines to reduce congestion and reliability risks… Third, we need to bring low-cost generation online faster… Fourth, new large loads, especially data centers, must bear the costs associated with them coming online — it cannot be on the back of other customers or ratepayers.
“The grid is a national asset, like the interstate highway system, ports, or broadband. It is the delivery network for the economy’s most universal commodity: electricity. And now is the time to invest in a Grid for Growth.”
