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Indiana’s Republican gubernatorial candidates overwhelmingly promised a renewed focus on coal — and pushback to federal restrictions — in a survey from a fossil fuels-oriented advocacy group.
Some said they’d also reshape the powerful Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC), which oversees more than 600 utilities operating in Indiana, per its website.
Five of the six candidates — U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, former Commerce Secretary Brad Chambers, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, former Commerce Secretary Eric Doden and conservative activist Jamie Reitenour — offered responses to the questionnaire from Reliable Energy, Inc. Former Attorney General Curtis Hill didn’t participate.
The trade association describes itself as advocating primarily for coal, gas and nuclear power.
A regional transmission provider — whose territory includes most of Indiana — has repeatedly sounded the alarm: electricity generation is changing faster than expected.
“There is a looming mismatch on the horizon between the speed at which renewable generation (wind and solar) is coming online and conventional generation (coal and gas) is retiring,” the Midcontinent Independent System Operator said in introducing its 2024 “Reliability Imperative” report.
When Reliable Energy asked the candidates how they’d handle rising demand and anticipated supply challenges, several said they’d keep coal-powered plants open.
Crouch said she’d support a moratorium on such closures “until … we have addressed the reliability and resiliency challenges of the future.”
Chambers similarly said he’d resist U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) “pressure for premature closure of Indiana’s coal-fired power plants,” while Doden knocked the agency for “coerc(ing) states nationwide into shutting down local power plants.”
Braun said he didn’t believe renewable energy sources were “consistent” enough to replace closing coal plants, while Reitenour pushed to “rene(w) Indiana’s commitment to the coal industry.”
The candidates also highlighted coal in answers to a survey question about lowering energy costs. Braun, Chambers, Crouch and Doden additionally promised new energy production plans or strategies.
Some went further, promising changes to the state’s regulatory apparatus.
“We’ll appoint new commissioners to the IURC with a clear mission to push for additional base supply and lower costs, cracking down on the repetitive and unnecessary rate increases utilities have been placing on Hoosiers,” Chambers said.
Chambers also pledged to “bolster” the Office of Utility Consumer Counselor — which represents Hoosier utility customers — “to ensure that Hoosiers have a strong and dedicated team of advocates at the table to fight for them.”
The IURC is “an advocate of neither the public nor the utilities,” according to its mission statement. Instead, it seeks to make sure utilities can provide reliable service at “reasonable rates.”
Braun said that, as seats on the IURC “become open,” he’d add appointees that “hold my views on the future of energy in Indiana.”
Indiana Primary Election Day is May 7, 2024. Early voting has begun.
The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, not-for-profit news organization that covers state government, policy and elections.
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Natural gas is cleaner than coal, and cheaper…which is what is really driving the move away from dirty Indiana coal. That, and the cost of properly managing coal ash, which is a toxic byproduct.
Shouldn’t Republicans understand a market shift based on economics?
It’s easy for them to say that they’ll keep coal when they don’t understand the industry, economics and regulations. Trump did the same thing.
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You wish that at least one of them would think for themselves.
Unless you are doing business in India or China and the government provides the financing, there is no multi-national bank that will finance a coal project. Coal is dead because the long term return on investments are not certain. Tax dollars subsidizing coal projects is the only way this will work.
Where do “small government” Republicans get the money to pay for these kind of subsidies?
These candidates talking points all sounds link willful ignorance or outright lies to me.
Ugh. Republicans.
All aboard the Trump train! Talk about “penny-wise and pound-foolish.”
As a result of how these candidates adopt MAGA talk and embrace extreme right-wing policies, none will get the vote of this life-long Republican (until 2016).
The Tea Party gang turned me away a little earlier. They were the original “burn it down” Rs (and IMO led the way for MAGA and today’s “hang Pence and kill the Speaker” bunch).
You’ve got to stand FOR something sensible and defensible to get my vote. “Keep burning coal” is neither.
This is silly. We have some of the best universities in the country and virtually none of the students stay here; it’s not because we don’t have enough coal power.
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