As extreme winter weather swept across much of the United States during Winter Storm Fern, the nation’s electric grid faced a critical real-world stress test. Testimony given this week during a hearing before the House Energy Subcommittee made one point unmistakably clear: the electric grid came dangerously close to failure, and coal and other baseload resources were central to keeping the lights on. In fact, the coal fleet increased its output more than any other electricity source when Fern peaked and also saved ratepayers more than $1 billion, according to recent analysis. Below are some of the remarks made by witnesses and subcommittee members during the hearing.
A Grid “Close to the Edge”
Jim Robb, President and CEO of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), offered a stark assessment of the situation:
- “The [electricity] system ran very close to the edge, leaving no room for error.”
- “Operators needed every tool at their disposal and extraordinary actions by government played an important role.”
- “Fern was a classic near-miss event that reinforces concerns documented in our recent [2025 Long-Term Reliability Assessment]. That report assesses risk of energy shortfalls over a ten-year horizon.”
When Demand Spiked, Dispatchable Power Delivered
Representative Bob Latta (OH-05), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy, emphasized the central takeaway:
- “One thing remains clear: baseload and dispatchable resources saved the day.”
- “Generation from coal, natural gas and fuel oil skyrocketed, while intermittent resource generation unfortunately plummeted.”
Representative Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, reinforced this with data:
- “Reliable generation resources matter when power demand spikes during major winter storms. 80% to 90% of [the] additional electricity needed is supplied by dispatchable fossil generation – natural gas, coal and even oil.”
Representative Russell Fry (SC-07) added:
- “Fern also demonstrated the critical importance of dispatchable energy sources. Peak coal generation rose by 25%… Across all impacted regions, dispatchable energy significantly outperformed wind and solar generation.”
Coal: The Backbone of Reliability in the Crisis
Brett Mattison, President and COO of Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO), described the importance of coal:
- “Reliability depends on being able to call on a resource when it’s needed for as long as it’s needed, regardless of the weather.”
- “During the storm, coal supplied more than half of SWEPCO-owned generation, supported by on-site fuel that ensured steady performance.”
- “Natural gas units provided essential flexibility and ramped as demand increased but remain tied to pipeline delivery which can and does tighten during extreme weather.”
- “That dispatchable coal unit is the workhorse… and that plant performed perfectly during Winter Storm Fern… If we didn’t have that dispatchable resource… it was 50% of our load during that storm… we would have had customers’ lights go out.”
A Dangerous Trajectory: Retiring Dispatchable Generation Too Soon
Jim Robb warned about the loss of these resources:
- “Traditional generation provides what we call essential reliability services… They are absolutely essential to the reliable performance of the grid… The loss of those resources creates multiple problems [and] doesn’t bode well… for ratepayers.”
- “We’re bringing on high fixed cost assets at a time of relatively high interest rates… [and] losing what I call spinning mass generation, and we’re replacing it with power, electronic-based generation that doesn’t behave the same way.”
Mattison delivered a clear warning:
- “Existing base load resources, especially coal, continue to provide vital reliability during extreme conditions. Federal policy must avoid premature retirements until new equally dependable resources are available.”
And Representative Julie Fedorchak (ND-AL) echoed earlier remarks by Jim Robb:
- “One of the easiest things that we should be doing in the country to address our current urgent needs is to stop retiring things that are already connected to the grid and working.”
The Bottom Line Winter Storm Fern was another near miss. The grid held because dispatchable resources, especially coal, were there when they were needed most. If those resources continue to retire prematurely, the grid won’t be so lucky next time.