ICYMI: Gallego Questions Trump Nominees on Energy Costs, Reliability

WASHINGTON - This week, during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Ranking Member of the Energy Subcommittee, questioned Trump administration nominees to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on how they plan to ensure reliable, affordable energy at a time when energy prices are increasing at twice the rate of inflation.

Watch Senator Gallego's full remarks HERE.

In the face of rising energy demand and the need to boost energy production, Senator Gallego began his questioning by asking nominees David LaCerte and Laura Swett about their commitment to grid reliability, which can be a matter of life and death in Arizona and other extreme weather states.

"Energy affordability and reliability is extremely important in Arizona, particularly, of course, to stay cool. Arizonans have to shell an extra $100 compared to their winter electric bills per month, which is the highest additional cost anywhere in this country. In addition, we do have growth of both data warehouses as well as great chip manufacturing. So, as the load growth demand rises, Arizonans deserve federal leaders that will ensure that their energy cost does not get more expensive and, of course, dangerously less reliable," said Senator Gallego.

"Especially in Arizona summers, our energy grid faces very, very high demand. So in 2023, a study was actually done that a multi-day blackout, which has happened in other states, could cause nearly half the city to require emergency department care and could potentially kill thousands of Arizonans and Phoenicians. So we're certainly not the only state that is dealing with extreme heat and other weather disasters. How will you partner with public utility regulators to identify and respond to emerging reliable reliability challenges across the country?" he asked.

9/5/25