Ranking Member Heinrich Offers Solutions to Energy Affordability Crisis Worsening Under Trump Administration

Ranking Member Heinrich (D-N.M.) delivers opening remarks explaining the steps that can be taken to lower energy costs and robustly power our energy grid, March 25, 2026.

"The power grid is deeply personal for me: my father, Pete Heinrich, was an IBEW lineman for many decades. However, our grid is under growing strain from rising electricity demand, largely driven by data centers, advanced manufacturing, and electrification," began Heinrich. "The demand for electricity is significantly outpacing the rate at which new, low-cost generation can connect to the grid. This imbalance has led to electricity bills rising by as much as 13% since President Trump took office."

"Fortunately, there is a way to help bring down electricity costs, while strengthening the grid's reliability and resilience," said Heinrich. "First, we need to get more out of the grid we have... We must also build high-voltage transmission lines to reduce congestion and reliability risks... Third, we need to bring low-cost generation online faster... Fourth, new large loads, especially data centers, must bear the costs associated with them coming online - it cannot be on the back of other customers or ratepayers."

"The grid is a national asset, like the interstate highway system, ports, or broadband. It is the delivery network for the economy's most universal commodity: electricity. And now is the time to invest in a Grid for Growth," concluded Heinrich.

A video of Heinrich's opening remarks is here.

A transcript of Heinrich's remarks as delivered is below:

Thank you, Chairman Lee, for holding this hearing on the state of the bulk power system.

The power grid is deeply personal for me: my father, Pete Heinrich, was an IBEW lineman for many decades.

However, our grid is under growing strain from rising electricity demand, largely driven by data centers, advanced manufacturing, and electrification.

The demand for electricity is significantly outpacing the rate at which new, low-cost generation can connect to the grid.

This imbalance has led to electricity bills rising by as much as 13% since President Trump took office.

These rising costs [are] made worse by the Administration's fossil-only agenda, which includes propping up uneconomic coal plants, stalling 116 gigawatts of new capacity from coming online, canceling clean energy projects, and starting a war with Iran that is driving up oil and gas prices.

Fortunately, there is a way to help bring down electricity costs, while strengthening the grid's reliability and resilience.

Doing so means taking four no-regrets actions:

First, we need to get more out of the grid we have.

Grid-enhancing technologies can unlock 20 to 100 gigawatts of additional capacity when demand is highest.

These solutions cost less than one-quarter of the traditional upgrade costs and can be deployed in three to five years.

GETs could reduce grid congestion by 40% or more, saving consumers $4 to $8 billion a year.

The distribution system represents another opportunity to get more from the grid.

The U.S. already has 30 to 60 gigawatts of distributed energy resources operating together like a single power plant, referred to as a virtual power plant.

Technology providers are already offering the software and hardware, allowing data centers to act as VPPs.

Deploying another 60 gigawatts could save consumers $20 billion by 2030.

But these aren't silver bullet solutions for long-term growth.

We must also build high-voltage transmission lines to reduce congestion and reliability risks.

Transmission congestion cost consumers $12.1 billion dollars in 2024 alone.

Perhaps even more important, interregional transmission helps keep the lights on during extreme weather by allowing regions to share electricity.

Yet interregional transmission made up only?2%?of new circuit-miles installed between 2011 and 2020.

Third, we need to bring low-cost generation online faster. More than 2,000 gigawatts of new power plants are stuck in interconnection queues, nearly double the capacity of the existing power plant fleet.

Bringing even 10% of capacity in queues online in the region would have saved customers $3.5 billion.

Fourth, new large loads, especially data centers, must bear the costs associated with them coming online-it cannot be on the back of other customers or ratepayers.

Data centers want fast, reliable power and are already willing to fund the upgrades.

Furthermore, one study found that if large loads agree to be flexible with their energy use at a 1% curtailment rate, the U.S. could unlock 126 gigawatts of new capacity.

This creates a once-in-a-generation opportunity to leverage private capital.

The grid is a national asset, like the interstate highway system, ports, or broadband.

It is the delivery network for the economy's most universal commodity: electricity.

And now is the time to invest in a Grid for Growth.

I very much look forward to this discussion.

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