Key Takeaways
- •James Robb (President and CEO, NERC) warned that Winter Storm Fern was a "near-miss" event, revealing that two-thirds of North America faces elevated energy shortfall risks over five years.
- •Brett Mattison (President and CEO, SWEPCO) testified that coal provided over half of his utility's generation during the storm, arguing dispatchable resources were essential to preventing blackouts.
- •Rep. Peters (D, CA-50) and James Robb discussed how 35 gigawatts of new interregional transmission capacity would improve grid resilience and lower consumer costs regardless of fuel source.
- •Republicans argued that base load fossil fuel retirements threaten grid stability, while Democrats contended that climate change and transmission bottlenecks are the primary drivers of reliability crises.
- •Congress faces pressure to pass permitting reform and expand transmission infrastructure to accommodate massive electricity demand growth from data centers and artificial intelligence applications.
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Hearing Analysis
Overview
This hearing examined the performance of the U.S. electric grid during Winter Storm Fern, a significant weather event in January 2026 that brought extreme cold and precipitation across the eastern two-thirds of the country. The session served as a post-mortem to evaluate how different generation resources—including natural gas, coal, nuclear, and renewables—responded to peak winter demand. Lawmakers and witnesses discussed the growing risks to grid reliability as the nation faces a "near-miss" reality where supply margins are tightening. The discussion was framed by two primary challenges: the rapid growth in electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence data centers and the transition of the generation fleet from traditional baseload power to weather-dependent intermittent resources.
Key Testimony & Policy
James Robb, President and CEO of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), testified that nearly two-thirds of North America faces an elevated risk of energy shortfalls over the next five years. He characterized Winter Storm Fern as a "near-miss" event where the grid held up largely because temperatures were not as low as forecast and widespread school and business closures reduced load. Robb highlighted three critical trends from NERC’s Long-Term Reliability Assessment (LTRA): unprecedented demand growth, a changing resource mix with unfamiliar reliability characteristics, and lagging supply additions. He noted that while renewables performed well relative to their accredited capacity, the system relied heavily on natural gas, coal, and nuclear to meet the bulk of demand.
Brett Mattison of Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) emphasized that during the storm, coal supplied more than half of SWEPCO’s generation. He advocated for five policy priorities: building new natural gas plants with cold-weather enhancements, advancing nuclear energy, preventing the premature retirement of existing baseload resources, modernizing transmission through Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and regional planning, and maintaining affordability for existing customers. Michael Goggin of Grid Strategies offered a different perspective, arguing that wind and solar resources outperformed expectations during Fern, while fossil fuel plants suffered from "freeze-offs" and equipment failures. Goggin pointed to a NERC study indicating that 35 gigawatts of additional interregional transfer capacity would significantly improve resilience and lower costs.
Jose Costa of the Northeast Gas Association (NGA) detailed the specific constraints in New England, where limited pipeline capacity forced a reliance on expensive liquefied natural gas (LNG) and fuel oil. He noted that during the peak of the storm, wood burning and refuse incineration actually produced more electricity in New England than wind and solar combined. The witnesses generally agreed on the need for federal permitting reform to accelerate the construction of both generation and transmission infrastructure, specifically mentioning the SPEED Act as a potential vehicle for streamlining these processes.
Notable Exchanges & Partisan Dynamics
The hearing featured a sharp divide over the causes of energy price volatility. Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D, NJ-6) and Rep. Robert Menendez (D, NJ-8) criticized the Trump administration’s foreign policy, specifically a conflict with Iran, for driving oil prices over $110 a barrel and increasing gasoline and natural gas costs. They argued that the administration’s focus on fossil fuels undermines national security and that the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) was being used as a political tool.
In contrast, Chairman Robert Latta (R, OH-5) and Rep. Brett Guthrie (R, KY-2) focused on the "unreliability" of intermittent resources during winter peaks. Rep. Guthrie pointed out that while wind might "outperform expectations," its absolute contribution pales in comparison to dispatchable fossil fuels when the sun isn't shining and the wind is stagnant. Rep. Julie Fedorchak (R-ND), a former utility regulator, warned against "normalizing" the use of emergency procedures, such as Department of Energy (DOE) 202(c) orders, which were used during Fern to keep retiring coal plants online to prevent blackouts.
A rare point of bipartisan agreement emerged regarding the necessity of interregional transmission. Rep. Scott Peters (D, CA-50) argued that the "case should be settled" because both sides acknowledge that moving power from regions with a surplus to those with a deficit is essential for reliability, regardless of the fuel source. However, disagreement remained on whether the federal government should take a stronger hand in "steamrolling" state regulators to get these lines built.
Organizations Mentioned
- North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC): The primary regulatory authority discussed regarding its Long-Term Reliability Assessment and its role in identifying the "near-miss" nature of Winter Storm Fern. - Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC): Mentioned regarding its role in transmission planning, cost allocation, and the need for permitting reform to speed up the interconnection queue. - U.S. Department of Energy (DOE): Discussed in the context of issuing emergency 202(c) orders to keep uneconomic power plants running during the storm to maintain grid stability. - Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO): Praised for its preparation and use of coal and gas to maintain service to 558,000 customers during the freeze. - PJM Interconnection (PJM): Cited as a region where transmission congestion prevented low-cost power from Chicago from reaching the East Coast, costing ratepayers an estimated $90 million. - Amazon and Google: Mentioned as major drivers of load growth through the construction of massive data centers that require 24/7 baseload power. - ISO New England: Discussed regarding the region's heavy reliance on fuel oil and LNG imports due to natural gas pipeline constraints.
What's Next
The subcommittee indicated it would continue to monitor the implementation of the Secure Grid Act, which aims to help states assess reliability risks. Lawmakers signaled that permitting reform remains a top priority, with potential future votes on the SPEED Act or similar legislation to address the "three Ps" of transmission: planning, paying, and permitting. NERC is expected to provide follow-up data on the final performance metrics of the gas-electric coordination efforts initiated during the storm. Additionally, the committee may call Secretary of Energy Chris Wright to testify on the administration's use of emergency authorities and the impact of geopolitical events on domestic energy prices.
Transcript
Well, good morning. I want to thank our guests for being with us today and making it. Some of our members, unfortunately, are stuck at their home airports right now, and some are on their way and unfortunately some might not be able to get in this morning, but really appreciate you all making the effort to be here today. So the Subcommittee on Energy will come to order, and the chair recognizes himself for five minutes for an opening statement. Again, good morning and welcome to today's hearing to examine the performance of our electric grid through the duration of Winter Storm Fern. Starting on January 23, a significant winter storm brought widespread snow, sleet, and freezing rain from New England to the Rockies and down to the Gulf of America. This storm was followed by an Arctic front that kept stubbornly low temperatures across the country in addition to snowstorms. As expected, American families bundled up, staying indoors to avoid the inclement weather and dangerous road conditions. When they were at home, they relied on our nation's complex energy system to keep the lights on, their homes warmed, and their refrigerators stocked. Just like any other day, families expected their lights to come on with a flick of a switch. While seemingly routine, an exhaustive amount of preparation, coordination, and real-time decision-making occurred behind the scenes to make sure American communities had power. While some outages occurred, the grid held up because of the important work of some of the witnesses we have before us today. The Southwest Electric Power Company, or SWEPCO, is an electric utility across Arkansas, Texas, and Louisiana. The Northeast Gas Association represents natural gas utilities across 11 northeastern states. Grid Strategies develops public policies that support a clean energy transition, and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, or NERC, is the regulatory authority that ensures reliability and security of our nation's bulk power system. Today, these witnesses will provide critical insights into how the nation's electric grid remained resilient through the duration of this significant weather event. While I am looking forward to today's opportunity to learn more about the grid's performance through the storm, one thing remains clear: base load and dispatchable resources saved the day. Generation from coal, natural gas, and fuel oil skyrocketed while intermittent resource generation unfortunately plummeted. Nuclear has always remained steady and reliable. Without access to these affordable and reliable supplies of base load generation, the setting of this hearing would look much different. Power outages that occur in freezing temperatures cause billions in economic damage and, even more importantly, tragic deaths in our vulnerable communities. Our New England states illustrate an interesting example. Through the storm, the fuel mix in New England was carried by natural gas, fuel oil, and nuclear power. In spite of generous subsidies and favorable public policy choices, intermittent resources were nowhere to be found when New England needed power the most. Because limited gas pipeline capacity in the New England region restricts supply and raises prices, power plants had to opt for more expensive and less efficient fuel oil. It is important to recognize fuel oil plants were the predominant source of generation 70 years ago. Importantly, outages across the country were limited, but the success of the grid through the Winter Storm Fern should serve as a warning. That brings us to the present day. How should policymakers and regulators consider the operation of our future bulk power system? We stand on the precipice of tremendous growth in our nation's electricity demand. The Energy and Commerce Committee has held several hearings and passed legislation to shore up reliability crises caused by the Biden administration and to power next-generation industries. Now, we are considering the implications of a generation resource mix that can appropriately meet the needs of households at all times of the year while simultaneously ensuring America leads in the future economy. The answer is clear: our nation needs more dispatchable power, and it needs a lot more of it. Given the military activity taking place in Iran and the implications of energy markets throughout the Strait of Hormuz, now more than ever we need to utilize the bountiful resources we have here right in the United States. The lessons of Winter Storm Fern should illustrate that common sense must rule the day. American energy dominance and independence must be achieved so we can keep our communities safe at home. With that, I yield back the balance of my time, and at this time, the chair recognizes the gentleman from California's 50th District for five minutes for an opening statement.
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