Utah Leaders Hinder Efforts To Develop Solar Energy Supply (arstechnica.com)
- Reference: 0180398855
- News link: https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/25/12/16/1959202/utah-leaders-hinder-efforts-to-develop-solar-energy-supply
- Source link: https://arstechnica.com/science/2025/12/utah-leaders-hinder-efforts-to-develop-solar-energy-supply/
Since May, when the laws took effect, 51 planned solar projects withdrew their applications to connect to the grid. That represents more than a quarter of all projects in Utah's transmission connection queue. The moves came as Cox promoted Operation Gigawatt, an initiative to double the state's energy production in the next decade through what he called an "any of the above" approach.
A third bill aimed at limiting solar development on farmland narrowly missed the deadline for passage but is expected to return next year. Rocky Mountain Power earlier this year asked regulators to approve a 30% electricity rate hike. Regulators eventually awarded a 4.7% increase.
[1] https://arstechnica.com/science/2025/12/utah-leaders-hinder-efforts-to-develop-solar-energy-supply/
Demented. (Score:2)
Only someone quite literally demented can deny global warming and think shutting down solar is a good idea.
Anyone supporting this should be treated as a cult member and an intervention should occur.
Re: Demented. (Score:2)
The dementia reaches across party lines. The GOP is insufferable in some areas, but the question needs to be asked "exactly how did they get elected?" The reason is a person who was really suffering from dementia wrongly decided they could run and win the presidency a second time.
So just keep that in mind when you throw the "demented" word around. Spoken as a political infependent.
Re: (Score:1, Insightful)
TLDR: I can't vote for an untalented BLACK woman chose for her position because of her skin color and vagina possession.
FTFY.
Re: (Score:2)
> I can't vote for an untalented (person)
FTFY - Her color, gender/genitals really never entered into it, once you concede she was "untalented"...
Re: (Score:1)
No. One should do anything one can to prevent the further career progression of people promoted because of racism and/or sexism.
They have already benefitted enough from others' suffering.
Re: (Score:2)
Do you mean her position as a prosecutor or the president? You said fuck it and voted for the reality show host with bankrupt casinos.
Re: Demented. (Score:2)
But you have no problems voting for a traitor and child rapist as long as it has a penis?
Re: (Score:3)
You sound like a wife beater.
" Look at what you made me do ! "
Re: (Score:1)
I had it in mind. The only thing worse was Kamala thinking she would do better.
Spoken as a political inDependent.
Re: (Score:2)
> Only someone quite literally demented can deny global warming and think shutting down solar is a good idea.
Where does it say the Governor denies "global warming"? He's doing two things - he's cutting subsidies and taxing Solar (probably to the same extent as other sources of energy - or are we pretending that nuclear, natural gas, etc are all operating tax-free in Utah?)
> Anyone supporting this should be treated as a cult member and an intervention should occur.
Why?
As noted in TFS:
> Since May, when the laws took effect, 51 planned solar projects withdrew their applications to connect to the grid. That represents more than a quarter of all projects in Utah's transmission connection queue. The moves came as Cox promoted Operation Gigawatt, an initiative to double the state's energy production in the next decade through what he called an "any of the above" approach.
I read that as removing special subsidies for Solar and treating it equally to other methods of power generation - putting solar on an equal funding/taxing basis as other sources of electricity could be seen as part of an "any
Re: (Score:2)
Now talk about subsidies for the nuke plants.
Re: (Score:1)
"Cox’s any-of-the-above approach to energy generation draws from a decades-old Republican push similarly titled “all of the above.” The GOP policy’s aim was as much about preserving and *expanding reliance on fossil fuels* (indeed, the phrase may have been coined by petroleum lobbyists) as it was turning to cleaner energy sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal."
Perpetually short on details. (Score:3)
> Although the announcement was short on details
Well, can't fault them for consistency.
Another example why not to invest (Score:2)
Can you imagine finishing a project and then a magical tax suddenly appearing before you get to even turn it on simply because the government of the day hates you. America is shooting itself in the foot. No one in their right mind would invest in any infrastructure there right now.
Re: Another example why not to invest (Score:2)
Or indeed, any time before we institute some strong controls which somehow prevent this from happening again. And good luck to us on that.
Re: (Score:2)
I can't see any business making any substantial investment in the US these days. The federal or state government tax, fiscal, or trade policies will almost certainly make a 180 degree turn every few years, ensuring that almost any sizable project will end up a financial failure.
Re: (Score:1)
> Can you imagine finishing a project and then a magical tax suddenly appearing before you get to even turn it on simply because the government of the day hates you.
Perhaps he doesn't see a reason to provide special subsidies to solar projects, and he doesn't agree with the tax-exempt status solar projects enjoyed versus other sources of electricity? If solar is so great and cheap, why does it require so much taxpayer money to "make sense"?
Re: Another example why not to invest (Score:2)
"If solar is so great and cheap, why does it require so much taxpayer money to "make sense"?"
You're pretending fossils and nuclear don't get subsidies.
Pretending is fun but it doesn't move this conversation forward.
corrupt and proud of it. (Score:2)
These people don't care what kind of world they leave for their kids. They kinda want it to be a shithole because happiness doesn't sell.
The GOP doesn't pretend (Score:2)
> ... "any of the above" approach.
Until it affects the billionaires we like: The party of State's Rights strikes again. It's easy to see how someone was murdered in Utah for not being bigoted and cruel. The many state GOPs don't pretend to protect the state or its people, anymore: Cruelty is the point.
The US people need to spend their time on ensuring the 2026 elections happen and are not manipulated by voter re-districting, voter suppression, ballot destruction, or falsifying the count.
What about the other 3/4ths of pending projects? (Score:2)
> Since May, when the laws took effect, 51 planned solar projects withdrew their applications to connect to the grid. That represents more than a quarter of all projects in Utah's transmission connection queue.
So 51 solar projects withdrew their applications to connect to the power grid - that quote implies there are still about 150 more projects that still are applying to connect to the power grid - perhaps those 51 projects were marginal, only viable with free money from the state of Utah? And who know what the other (estimated) 150 power projects are? Are they coal-fired? Nuclear? Natural Gas-fired? Wind? Hydro? Solar? We Just Don't Know - but why let that get in the way of a good rant?
For those that didn't cl
Re: (Score:2)
From the sub heading of the linked-to article:
> Solar power accounts for two-thirds of the new projects waiting to connect to the state’s power grid.
and from TFS:
> Since May, when the laws took effect, 51 planned solar projects withdrew their applications to connect to the grid. That represents more than a quarter of all projects in Utah's transmission connection queue.
Seems like there are still quite a few solar projects going forward (not withdrawing their applications)
Re:Shcoker (Score:5, Interesting)
You mean killing jobs and making electricity more expensive?
Yeah, shocker.
Re: (Score:2)
They'll just black the "black guy" or "sleepy joe".