Christian Fong
@christiantfong.bsky.social
Now: decarbonizing the electricity sector with
@rockymtninst.bsky.social | Then: @INDems @HawaiiSenate | Always: @UCBerkeley | all views are my future dog’s
@rockymtninst.bsky.social | Then: @INDems @HawaiiSenate | Always: @UCBerkeley | all views are my future dog’s
Luckily, a combination of energy efficiency, demand side management, advanced transmission technologies, interconnection queue shortcuts, and co-location of clean energy and new large loads can meet 95% of new loads, even accounting for plant retirements:
June 24, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Luckily, a combination of energy efficiency, demand side management, advanced transmission technologies, interconnection queue shortcuts, and co-location of clean energy and new large loads can meet 95% of new loads, even accounting for plant retirements:
Even if you are able to get a new gas plant, it's going to be costly. Actual costs for recent gas plants show that capital costs for new gas plants are actually 130–200% of industry benchmarks. And that's not taking into account higher fuel costs due to increased LNG exports.
June 24, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Even if you are able to get a new gas plant, it's going to be costly. Actual costs for recent gas plants show that capital costs for new gas plants are actually 130–200% of industry benchmarks. And that's not taking into account higher fuel costs due to increased LNG exports.
@advaitarun.bsky.social called this out months ago here: heatmap.news/ideas/natura.... New gas plants that don't already have their turbine orders secured aren't going to be built any time soon, with a doubling of new gas plant constructed projected over the next 5 years.
June 24, 2025 at 3:47 PM
@advaitarun.bsky.social called this out months ago here: heatmap.news/ideas/natura.... New gas plants that don't already have their turbine orders secured aren't going to be built any time soon, with a doubling of new gas plant constructed projected over the next 5 years.
🚨NEW from RMI🚨
Load growth is coming, and gas turbine constraints are pushing back any new unplanned gas plants until 2029/2030 at the earliest. Luckily, clean energy solutions can meet 95% of near-term load growth in a more affordable way: #energysky
Load growth is coming, and gas turbine constraints are pushing back any new unplanned gas plants until 2029/2030 at the earliest. Luckily, clean energy solutions can meet 95% of near-term load growth in a more affordable way: #energysky
June 24, 2025 at 3:47 PM
🚨NEW from RMI🚨
Load growth is coming, and gas turbine constraints are pushing back any new unplanned gas plants until 2029/2030 at the earliest. Luckily, clean energy solutions can meet 95% of near-term load growth in a more affordable way: #energysky
Load growth is coming, and gas turbine constraints are pushing back any new unplanned gas plants until 2029/2030 at the earliest. Luckily, clean energy solutions can meet 95% of near-term load growth in a more affordable way: #energysky
Rising energy bills are increasingly on people's minds. Full-scale repeal of the IRA would be disastrous for energy affordability. LPO loans (and the ITC and PTC!) are critically important to reduce electric bills, from @charlesxhua.bsky.social and myself:
June 10, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Rising energy bills are increasingly on people's minds. Full-scale repeal of the IRA would be disastrous for energy affordability. LPO loans (and the ITC and PTC!) are critically important to reduce electric bills, from @charlesxhua.bsky.social and myself:
Utilities are going to bat for these loans, with PG&E stating that these loans can save ratepayers over $1 billion. But there are also costs if these loans are denied, with PG&E saying that uncertainty around these loans is raising their cost of capital.
June 10, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Utilities are going to bat for these loans, with PG&E stating that these loans can save ratepayers over $1 billion. But there are also costs if these loans are denied, with PG&E saying that uncertainty around these loans is raising their cost of capital.
$43 billion in low-cost loans to utilities that will lower electricity rates for tens of millions of Americans are at stake. These loans are important for affordability, especially in the wake of load growth that will require new capital investments
bsky.app/profile/chri...
bsky.app/profile/chri...
June 10, 2025 at 10:05 PM
$43 billion in low-cost loans to utilities that will lower electricity rates for tens of millions of Americans are at stake. These loans are important for affordability, especially in the wake of load growth that will require new capital investments
bsky.app/profile/chri...
bsky.app/profile/chri...
NEW: Electric utilities and environmental/consumer advocates agree that LPO loans are critical for energy affordability, and Sec. Wright has called these loans a "key tool," with inputs from myself and @charlesxhua.bsky.social and reporting from @jasonplautz.bsky.social and @briandabbs
June 10, 2025 at 10:05 PM
NEW: Electric utilities and environmental/consumer advocates agree that LPO loans are critical for energy affordability, and Sec. Wright has called these loans a "key tool," with inputs from myself and @charlesxhua.bsky.social and reporting from @jasonplautz.bsky.social and @briandabbs
The plan: push the US so far into a recession that we reenter a zero interest rate environment, making it increasingly economic to finance clean energy portfolios over gas plants
April 3, 2025 at 1:59 PM
The plan: push the US so far into a recession that we reenter a zero interest rate environment, making it increasingly economic to finance clean energy portfolios over gas plants
And if the gas plant is stranded 17 years early, same as the coal plant, this will lead to $23.52 each month in additional bills for residential customers, for a total of $371 NPV in stranded assets.
March 17, 2025 at 8:23 PM
And if the gas plant is stranded 17 years early, same as the coal plant, this will lead to $23.52 each month in additional bills for residential customers, for a total of $371 NPV in stranded assets.
Furthermore, this is assuming that the gas plant isn't stranded similar to its coal predecessor. If the gas plant is stranded even 10 years early, this will add another $20 each month to residential bills, for a total of $317 NPV in stranded assets.
March 17, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Furthermore, this is assuming that the gas plant isn't stranded similar to its coal predecessor. If the gas plant is stranded even 10 years early, this will add another $20 each month to residential bills, for a total of $317 NPV in stranded assets.
However, natural gas has many risks. Accounting for a potential fuel cost spike (similar to what happened during Winter Storm Uri), higher fuel costs from increased LNG exports, and gas turbine bottlenecks increases costs by 74%, up to $136 each year, or $1591 NPV.
March 17, 2025 at 8:23 PM
However, natural gas has many risks. Accounting for a potential fuel cost spike (similar to what happened during Winter Storm Uri), higher fuel costs from increased LNG exports, and gas turbine bottlenecks increases costs by 74%, up to $136 each year, or $1591 NPV.
Yet instead of learning from past mistakes and underestimating the cost declines of clean energy, WEPCO is trying to convert the Oak Creek coal plant into an 1100 MW gas plant. Under best case assumptions, this will cost residential customers $78 each year, or $902 NPV.
March 17, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Yet instead of learning from past mistakes and underestimating the cost declines of clean energy, WEPCO is trying to convert the Oak Creek coal plant into an 1100 MW gas plant. Under best case assumptions, this will cost residential customers $78 each year, or $902 NPV.
Despite this early retirement, WEPCO's customers were still on the hook for paying down the original cost of the coal plant. Our analysis estimates this will cost residential customers about $28 each month, or over $280 NPV over the next 17 years.
March 17, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Despite this early retirement, WEPCO's customers were still on the hook for paying down the original cost of the coal plant. Our analysis estimates this will cost residential customers about $28 each month, or over $280 NPV over the next 17 years.
NEW: Wisconsin residential customers will end up paying $280 each for an old coal plant that no longer operates. They could end up paying even more if the utility decides to convert that coal plant into a gas plant. 🧵 #energysky
March 17, 2025 at 8:23 PM
NEW: Wisconsin residential customers will end up paying $280 each for an old coal plant that no longer operates. They could end up paying even more if the utility decides to convert that coal plant into a gas plant. 🧵 #energysky
So far, 11 utilities serving 23.5 million customers in 14 states have received conditional commitments for $43.23 billion in low-cost loans that will help reduce electric bills, improve reliability, and increase supply of cheap electricity generation.
www.energy.gov/lpo/energy-i...
www.energy.gov/lpo/energy-i...
January 31, 2025 at 6:07 PM
So far, 11 utilities serving 23.5 million customers in 14 states have received conditional commitments for $43.23 billion in low-cost loans that will help reduce electric bills, improve reliability, and increase supply of cheap electricity generation.
www.energy.gov/lpo/energy-i...
www.energy.gov/lpo/energy-i...
My contribution to the Georgia Power IRP discourse is that the utility still assumes they will be able to qualify for low-cost EIR loans through LPO for nuclear and hydro upgrades, distributed energy, transmission, and GETs, despite historical opposition to LPO from Republicans:
January 31, 2025 at 6:07 PM
My contribution to the Georgia Power IRP discourse is that the utility still assumes they will be able to qualify for low-cost EIR loans through LPO for nuclear and hydro upgrades, distributed energy, transmission, and GETs, despite historical opposition to LPO from Republicans:
If the new Energy Secretary is serious about an abundance agenda and energy dominance, he should wholeheartedly embrace his role at DOE to finalize these loans and secure financing for even more utilities to reduce rates and improve reliability.
January 16, 2025 at 5:29 PM
If the new Energy Secretary is serious about an abundance agenda and energy dominance, he should wholeheartedly embrace his role at DOE to finalize these loans and secure financing for even more utilities to reduce rates and improve reliability.
AEP: $1.6 billion for 5,000 miles of transmission reconductoring and rebuilding, increasing transmission capacity by 70%, improving SAVINGS and RELIABILITY to 3.78 million customers in 5 states.
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
January 16, 2025 at 5:02 PM
AEP: $1.6 billion for 5,000 miles of transmission reconductoring and rebuilding, increasing transmission capacity by 70%, improving SAVINGS and RELIABILITY to 3.78 million customers in 5 states.
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
JCP&L: $716 million to upgrade and expand transmission lines that would enable over 4 GWs of new CLEAN, RESILIENT power to the grid. This will save $150 million for 1.2 million ratepayers in New Jersey
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
January 16, 2025 at 5:02 PM
JCP&L: $716 million to upgrade and expand transmission lines that would enable over 4 GWs of new CLEAN, RESILIENT power to the grid. This will save $150 million for 1.2 million ratepayers in New Jersey
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
Consumers: $5 billion for solar, wind, battery storage, virtual power plants, and upgraded gas lines, improving RELIABILITY and ENERGY SECURITY while significantly LOWERING COSTS for 3.1 million ratepayers in Michigan and replacing retiring coal plants.
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
January 16, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Consumers: $5 billion for solar, wind, battery storage, virtual power plants, and upgraded gas lines, improving RELIABILITY and ENERGY SECURITY while significantly LOWERING COSTS for 3.1 million ratepayers in Michigan and replacing retiring coal plants.
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
Alliant: $3 billion for 2 GW of clean energy and battery storage, helping replace energy from coal plants, reducing rates and improving reliability for 1 million customers in 2 states and creating well-paying UNION jobs.
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
January 16, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Alliant: $3 billion for 2 GW of clean energy and battery storage, helping replace energy from coal plants, reducing rates and improving reliability for 1 million customers in 2 states and creating well-paying UNION jobs.
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
DTE: $1.64 billion to its gas utility to upgrade gas lines and $7.17 billion to its electric utility to build renewables and battery storage. This will support THOUSANDS of jobs, and DTE will partner with local cities and universities for those jobs.
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
January 16, 2025 at 5:02 PM
DTE: $1.64 billion to its gas utility to upgrade gas lines and $7.17 billion to its electric utility to build renewables and battery storage. This will support THOUSANDS of jobs, and DTE will partner with local cities and universities for those jobs.
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
PacifiCorp: $3.5 billion for 700 miles of new HIGH-VOLTAGE transmission, reducing rates by $1 BILLION for 2.1 million customers in 4 states. This will support 3,500 jobs, improve reliability, and allow more CHEAP, CLEAN energy to connect to the grid
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
January 16, 2025 at 5:02 PM
PacifiCorp: $3.5 billion for 700 miles of new HIGH-VOLTAGE transmission, reducing rates by $1 BILLION for 2.1 million customers in 4 states. This will support 3,500 jobs, improve reliability, and allow more CHEAP, CLEAN energy to connect to the grid
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...
www.energy.gov/lpo/articles...