US House of Representatives Republicans are concerned about how the retirement of a significant number of coal-fired power plants could affect the transmission grid in coming winters and are seeking answers from four grid operators on how those retirements will be handled, letters show. Citing the spikes in electricity prices, forced outages and other events of this past winter, top Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, including its chairman, Fred Upton, are concerned that “such outages and price increases could be further exacerbated in the future” as coal plants used to respond to acute needs this winter shut, they said. The lawmakers sent nearly identical letters on Wednesday to PJM Interconnection, New York Independent System Operator, Midcontinent Independent System Operator and ISO New England seeking answers on how their grids would have fared had the plants slated for retirement been unavailable. Article […]