For coal magnate tied to Trump and Perry, accusations of government 'bailout'

Critics call Perry's proposal raising coal, nuclear plants' rates a bailout

By James OsborneNovember 12, 2017 Updated: November 13, 2017 9:03am

WASHINGTON - The Ohio coal magnate Robert Murray had a problem. ... Coal prices were near historic lows, and the prognosis for coal mining companies, including Murray Energy, was only going to get worse as their best customers, coal-fired power plants, closed across the country. Murray, a prominent supporter of President Donald Trump, turned to the president, urging him to declare an emergency across the electric grid that would prevent any more coal plants from closing, according to a letter Murray sent to the White House in August.

Less than two months later, Energy Secretary Rick Perry, whose failed 2012 presidential campaign received a six-figure contribution from Murray and his employees, released a controversial plan to raise electricity prices paid to coal and nuclear plants. The proposal falls short of the emergency declaration sought by Murray, analysts said, but it nonetheless appears designed to particularly benefit Murray and his company. ... "If you want to tax customers to do favors for friends, be honest about it," former Federal Energy Regulatory Commissioner Nora Mead Brownell, a Republican appointed by George W. Bush, said recently in Washington.

Energy Secretary Rick Perry, now under consideration to lead Homeland Security, has been cool to building a border wall, which President Donald Trump promised would be built.  Trump and Perry reject King Coal's pleas Coal country isn't really coal country anymore, and hasn't been for a long time. Dispute erupts over an alleged Trump coal promise unmet In criticizing the coal industry, John Oliver said Robert Murray looked like a "geriatric Dr. Evil." Coal company sues HBO's John Oliver, claiming defamation Donald Trump wore a miner's hard hat at a campaign rally in May 2016 in Charleston, W.Va., on his way to the presidency. How GOP leaders came to view climate change as fake science Coal exec uses 'prayer' to unveil layoffs

Since introducing his proposal in September, Perry has consistently described the goal as protecting the grid from power outages caused by loss of coal and nuclear plants unable to compete with the lower costs of natural gas and falling costs of wind and solar energy. But under the narrow terms of the Energy Department's proposal, less than 25 percent of the nation's coal and nuclear plants would qualify for increased rates, according to the Boston research firm The Brattle Group.
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James Osborne
Washington Energy Correspondent