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Row over offshore wind and renewable subsidies surfaces in committee hearing
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Summary
Republican members and Secretary Burgum criticized intermittent renewables and emphasized base-load power and grid stability; Democrats and members from states hosting projects defended offshore wind as job-creating and cost-effective in certain regions and asked why DOI had paused work or issued stop-work orders on specific offshore projects.
Committee members clashed over the role of wind and solar in the nation's energy mix, with several Republicans and Secretary Burgum warning about intermittency and grid stability while members from New York, Rhode Island and Virginia emphasized jobs and regional cost advantages for offshore wind.
Secretary Burgum said intermittency remains a grid challenge and that the country still needs base-load power such as coal, nuclear and other firm sources. "If you have solar and wind and it's intermittent, you also still need all that base load," he said, and argued for permitting reforms that account for grid reliability.
Rep. Nydia Vele1squez (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.) pushed back, saying offshore projects such as South Fork Wind and South Brooklyn Marine Terminal are creating jobs, local supply chains and low-cost electricity in areas where wind resources are abundant. Magaziner noted a contracted price for an offshore project in Rhode Island at about 9.8'"), which he said compared favorably to national retail averages.
Vele1squez said DOI had issued a stop-work order on a fully permitted project (Empire Wind) off New York and that local businesses had lost contracts because of delays. Burgum argued the administration is reviewing offshore wind permitting and had no appetite for adding more intermittent capacity to the grid in some regions.
Why it matters: Offshore wind is regionally competitive where wind resources are strong and where grid constraints and transmission can be addressed; DOI oversight of federal siting and permitting affects project timelines, jobs and regional energy mixes.
What comes next: Lawmakers requested specifics on DOI reviews and on any stop-work orders; Burgum said BOEM and DOI are reviewing offshore project permitting and would work with members on grid and permitting concerns.
