U.S. nuclear, coal plant bailout plan
still being 'fleshed out': Perry
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[June 16, 2018]
BARILOCHE, Argentina (Reuters) - A
plan requested by U.S. President Donald Trump to prevent struggling
nuclear and coal power plants from shutting is still being "fleshed out"
by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the White House, Energy
Secretary Rick Perry said on Friday.
Trump on June 1 directed Perry to take emergency steps to keep nuclear
and coal plants running, in what would amount to an unprecedented
intervention in U.S. power markets that has drawn backlash from
environmentalists as well as oil, gas and renewable energy companies.
"This is not just singularly an economic issue," Perry told reporters at
the G20 Energy Ministers' meeting in Bariloche, Argentina, citing risks
of cyberattacks by "nefarious actors" or "terrorist groups" on the
civilian electric grid, which also provides U.S. military bases with
nearly all their power.
According to the DOE, cyber and physical threats are "minimized" at
nuclear and coal plants because they can store months of fuel on site to
survive a supply cut. Some experts have said coal infrastructure is just
as susceptible to cyber attacks as natural gas pipelines.
The U.S. coal and nuclear power industries have been shrinking for
years, under pressure from cheaper natural gas along with advances in
solar and wind energy.
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U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry gestures during a news
conference in New Delhi, India, April 17, 2018. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
"You would not want to wager that your liberties and your freedoms
in a country - the United States in this case - should be left
solely to the free market," Perry said.
He did not respond to questions on when the plan would be announced
or its details.
(Reporting by Luc Cohen; Editing by David Gregorio)
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