Microsoft Word - FERCMemo24Apr2017 (3).docx

Amory B. Lovins of RMI argues that subsidies for distressed nuclear plants are unjustified because closing high-cost nuclear units and reinvesting their operating expenses into energy efficiency can reduce more carbon than maintaining the plants. He contends that 'baseload' power is not a grid requirement and that variable renewables are more resilient and cost-effective than central thermal plants.

• Subsidies for distressed nuclear plants are based on a mistaken climate rationale; closing high-operating-cost nuclear plants and reinvesting those savings into energy efficiency can avoid more carbon than keeping the plants open.
• The concept of 'baseload' power is a description of how inflexible thermal generators function rather than a technical requirement for a reliable electric grid.
• Variable renewables may have lower grid balancing costs than central thermal plants, as evidence suggests wind's reserve costs per MWh are approximately half those of thermal generation.
• Central thermal plants are less resilient than distributed renewable resources; nuclear plants specifically can be 'anti-peaker' resources due to their inability to restart quickly after a shutdown.
• The author recommends that states use laddered auctions open to all demand- and supply-side options to value carbon-free attributes, rather than using policymakers' price guesses which are often wrong due to rapid price declines in solar, wind, and storage.

APA

RMI (2017). Microsoft Word - FERCMemo24Apr2017 (3).docx. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/06/RMI_FERC_Memo_2017.pdf

Chicago

RMI. Microsoft Word - FERCMemo24Apr2017 (3).docx. 2017. https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/06/RMI_FERC_Memo_2017.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=RMI |title=Microsoft Word - FERCMemo24Apr2017 (3).docx |date=25 April 2017 |url=https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/06/RMI_FERC_Memo_2017.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{rmi2017microsoft, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Microsoft Word - FERCMemo24Apr2017 (3).docx}}, publisher = {RMI}, year = {2017}, month = apr, url = {https://rmi.org/app/uploads/2017/06/RMI_FERC_Memo_2017.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }