Congressman Brett Guthrie, Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Congressman Bob Latta, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, announced on Mar. 11 a hearing titled "Winter Storm Fern Lessons: Supplying Reliable Power to Meet Peak Demand."
The hearing aims to examine how reliable power sources performed during Winter Storm Fern and discuss strategies for ensuring a stable electricity supply during periods of high demand. This topic is important as energy reliability affects millions of Americans, especially during extreme weather events.
"As Winter Storm Fern swept across the country and energy needs were at their highest, it was baseload, dispatchable power sources like coal, nuclear power, and natural gas that kept the lights on for millions of American families," said Chairmen Guthrie and Latta. "As we look to expand our grid to meet the moment for the AI race and reshoring manufacturing, this hearing will provide an opportunity to examine lessons learned from the storm that will support the reliable supply of power to the grid, especially during peak demand."
The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, March 17 at 10:00 AM Eastern Time in Room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building. It will be open to both the public and press and will also be live streamed online.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee focuses on legislation concerning energy, health care, environmental protection, telecommunications and consumer issues, according to the official website. The committee has influenced policy in areas including energy innovation, broadband deployment and pharmaceutical pricing according to its official website.
Standing as one of the oldest committees in the U.S. House of Representatives according to its official website, it traces its origins back to 1795 when it formed as the Committee on Commerce and Manufactures according to its official website.
The upcoming hearing reflects ongoing efforts by lawmakers to address challenges in maintaining a reliable power grid amid changing technology demands and severe weather.
