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Capitol Comments by Peggy Bennett

On a fully partisan basis with all Democrat votes, the Minnesota Legislature recently approved House File 7 — otherwise known as the “blackout bill.” Among its many components, this bill will require Minnesota electric utilities to generate or acquire 100% carbon-free energy by the year 2040.

This bill contains extreme and dangerous energy mandates that will put Minnesota on par with energy policies like those of California, Germany and the United Kingdom — all of whom have been experiencing energy deficiencies including blackouts, brownouts and energy rationing. The bill pushes for rapid adoption before we have the technology capable of supporting that adoption. It’s like attempting to take off in an airplane before you know it can support the weight it’s carrying.

There are legitimate estimates that the Walz/Democrat plan to move to 100% carbon free electricity by 2040 will cost $313 billion, or nearly $3,900 per family per year. That will be devastating for both families and businesses. What is the estimated potential gain? It’s averting 0.00096 degree Celsius of warming by the year 2100.

Does everyone remember the rather funny — but not so funny — government actions coming out of California last fall? The governor announced that California will require every new vehicle purchased in that state to be electric by 2035 -— and then a week later a heat wave hit and the state’s electrical grid operators asked electric vehicle owners to limit charging their vehicles.

Why would we want to copy unsound California energy policies that will push Minnesota into unreliable and unaffordable energy? Yet that’s what this bill does. This is dangerous. Blackouts in California weather are uncomfortable; blackouts in harsh Minnesota winters are life-threatening.

What happens to our businesses, including farmers, when energy becomes unreliable? Think about local businesses like Mrs. Gerry’s and our grocery stores, who need reliable energy to keep food from spoiling, or farmers with livestock that need to be kept cool or warm. Blackouts will be devastating to these businesses.

I think we can all agree that we want to take good care of our planet by adopting cleaner energy sources. I know I do. However, common sense would dictate that the path we choose to clean energy must also maintain reliable and affordable energy. Otherwise, that path ends on a cliff — a dangerous, unworkable and extreme cliff.

I have spoken at length on this issue with local Freeborn-Mower Electric Cooperative officials as well as state and electric grid experts. According to grid operators, Minnesota is already on the cusp of an electricity shortage and grid unreliability. It is clear that our state must focus on a balanced portfolio of power sources that includes many types of energy — wind, solar, natural gas, hydro, nuclear — and yes, some coal for a time — in order to maintain a reliable energy grid. We must take a common sense progression toward the reduction of fossil fuels that will not put our state and its citizens in jeopardy.

I was a “no” vote on the blackout bill. This legislation will make energy in our state unreliable, unaffordable and unsafe. Minnesota can do this smarter. We can and should adopt a clean energy plan that maintains clean, affordable and reliable energy, and one that is guided by common sense and the technology at hand.

Peggy Bennett, R-Albert Lea, is the District 23A representative.