It appears Hawaii is on track to follow California with rolling blackouts, and power crisis as it announced its closure of a critical power plant.
As the nation faces crippling power outages, and shortages, Hawaii has announced that it wants to follow the wokeness of California and ban all non-renewable energy sources from the state.
Daily wire writes. Hawaii became the first state in the nation to ban coal power this week with the closure of its last coal power plant.
One-fifth of Oahu’s electricity is supplied by AES Corporation’s coal plant, which closed on Thursday after 30 years. Hawaii was also the first state to pass legislation requiring a complete shift to renewable energy by 2045.
Rising energy costs are on the immediate horizon for the already price premium state.
Cnbc writes. At the start of 2023, Hawaii’s Legislature passed a law banning coal for energy production.
Critics argue that while ending the state’s dirtiest energy source is ultimately a good idea, doing so now isn’t. As a result of permits delays, contract issues, and supply chain issues related to the pandemic, renewable energy sources are not yet on line to replace coal energy. Instead, the state will burn more expensive oil that is only slightly less polluting than coal.
Democrat state Senator Glenn Wakai stated “If you are a believer that climate change is going to end because we shut down this coal plant, this is a great day for you, “But if you pay an electricity bill, this is a disastrous day for you.” Senator Wakai is also the chair of the Committee on Economic Development, Tourism and Technology.
Consumers who already face high energy and living costs will see their electricity bills increase due to the end of coal and the increased cost of oil. The Hawaiian Electric Company had projected a 7% spike in ratepayers’ bills, but Thursday reduced that to 4% due to a drop in oil prices.
Going woke in Hawaii will make its citizens go broke. Sustainable energy is a good move, but only if it can keep up with peak demand. As we have witnessed in the news over the last few years, other states are experiencing energy crises after energy crises after shutting down traditional power sources in an effort to keep up with demand.
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