WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King and a group of his New England Senate colleagues are urging the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to develop a plan that will prevent blackouts or price hikes for New England households this winter; a serious concern given Russia’s continued disruptions to global energy markets. In a letter to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, the Senators ask the Secretary to work with key stakeholders and local governments to mitigate the risk of price hikes and shortages of natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and heating oil.

“With the upcoming winter season comes a real threat to energy reliability for residents and businesses in New England. Global events caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are exacerbating the risk that the region will not have the fuel supplies needed to maintain heat and power during an extended cold snap,” wrote King and his New England colleagues. “We write to ask that you work with federal, regional, state, and local stakeholders to identify actions available to prevent energy disruption during the coldest months of the year.”

“ISO New England, the region’s grid operator, has warned that colder-than-usual conditions could put the reliability of the grid at risk - perhaps even leading to extreme measures like rolling blackouts,” the Senators continued. “This could be devastating, particularly during the coldest days of winter. While the region’s overreliance on natural gas has long been an issue, the continued global disruption caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine means the risk is more urgent than ever,” 

“Given the gravity of these concerns, we urge you to convene key stakeholders, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), ISO New England, New England governors, public utility officials, generators, suppliers, and utilities to mitigate these risks. Additionally, we ask that you leverage resources within the Department of Energy to identify barriers to bringing non-fossil fuel energy online as quickly as possible. Lastly, we ask that you work across the Executive Branch to review the emergency powers available to the Department of Energy and other agencies to ensure New England has the resources needed to get through the winter without major supply disruptions or price spikes,” the Senators conclude.

The letter was also signed by Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Read the full letter below or here.

Senator King has consistently worked to ensure Maine people have low, reliable energy and heating costs. In a hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee last year, he spoke out against increasing exports of LNG when more natural gas is desperately needed in Maine and across New England. Senator King has also been one of the Senate’s most vocal advocates for the Low Income Heating Aid Program (LIHEAP). He urged the administration to include LIHEAP aid in the American Rescue Plan, and announced that Maine would receive over $90 million – twice the average allocation – in 2022 LIHEAP funding thanks to increased investments included in the American Rescue Plan and Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. 

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Dear Secretary Granholm,

With the upcoming winter season comes a real threat to energy reliability for residents and businesses in New England. Global events caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are exacerbating the risk that the region will not have the fuel supplies needed to maintain heat and power during an extended cold snap. We write to ask that you work with federal, regional, state, and local stakeholders to identify actions available to prevent energy disruption during the coldest months of the year. 

Leaders in the region are working hard to reduce our reliance on natural gas by bringing clean energy resources like offshore wind and hydropower online, and the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act will be a huge boost to those efforts. Replacing fossil fuels with clean energy alternatives is the only way to ensure adequate supply and to achieve U.S. energy independence. Building out this new, carbon-free generation, however, will take time. As a result, the region remains reliant on natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and heating oil to bridge supply gaps during the coldest stretch of New England winters.

ISO New England, the region’s grid operator, has warned that colder-than-usual conditions could put the reliability of the grid at risk - perhaps even leading to extreme measures like rolling blackouts. This could be devastating, particularly during the coldest days of winter. While the region’s overreliance on natural gas has long been an issue, the continued global disruption caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine means the risk is more urgent than ever. In retaliation for Western sanctions following the invasion, Russia has weaponized energy supplies, reducing gas exports to Europe by 88% compared to 2021.  This had  led European nations to seek supplies elsewhere, further tightening the global supply. As a result, New England states will face serious challenges as they seek to secure LNG supply.

Even if the lights stay on throughout our winter months, the price instability caused by the region’s reliance on the spot market could have devastating impacts on New England residents who already face some of the highest energy costs in the continental U.S.

Given the gravity of these concerns, we urge you to convene key stakeholders, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), ISO New England, New England governors, public utility officials, generators, suppliers, and utilities to mitigate these risks. Additionally, we ask that you leverage resources within the Department of Energy to identify barriers to bringing non-fossil fuel energy online as quickly as possible. Lastly, we ask that you work across the Executive Branch to review the emergency powers available to the Department of Energy and other agencies to ensure New England has the resources needed to get through the winter without major supply disruptions or price spikes. We stand ready and willing to assist you in any way.

We appreciate your attention to these concerns and look forward to working with you on this critical issue

Sincerely,