Public Power Review

Stargate, TVA, and huge power demands for national priorities

The recently announced Stargate AI data center would demand a lot of power. How does that compare to how much power the Tennessee Valley Authority…

Jan 26 • 

Fred Stafford

December 2024

Public comment on NYPA's strategic plan for renewables

NYPA has done a fantastic job kickstarting renewables development. Taking over the Clean Path NY transmission project should be a new priority in its…

Dec 8, 2024 • 

Fred Stafford

September 2024

TVA's Gas Pains in Context

Does TVA truly have the largest gas buildout in the country? Yes, but only if you pretend the electric sector looks like it did half a century ago.

Sep 23, 2024 • 

Fred Stafford

NEW: The Case for Public Nuclear Power

New from me: The New Deal public power utility that keeps on trucking, TVA, is facing an atomic dilemma: how to pay for kicking the tires of nuclear…

Sep 13, 2024 • 

Fred Stafford

July 2024

Why TVA's Grid is Greener than Greens Grant

The Tennessee Valley Authority is "one of the dirtiest utilities" according to many environmental nonprofits and to their sympathetic journalists…

Jul 28, 2024 • 

Fred Stafford

Balancing Arguments About Electricity for States and Utilities

People like to talk about the generation resources and carbon emissions of states. But is that actually meaningful? For more useful analysis we should…

Jul 20, 2024 • 

Fred Stafford

May 2024

We're on "Odd Lots," and Some Greatest Hits

Fred Stafford and Matt Huber talk electric utilities, electricity restructuring, nuclear, and public power on the popular Bloomberg podcast.

May 31, 2024 • 

Fred Stafford

April 2024

New essay: The Utility of Utilities

In a new essay, Matt Huber and I argue that in the coming era of clean energy growth, rather than yet more markets, the old-fashioned regulated monopoly…

Apr 21, 2024 • 

Fred Stafford

October 2023

Questions on the Build Public Renewables Act, Part 2: Climate Cart Before the Horse

The successful campaign to Build Public Renewables in New York should rekindle public power. But, contrary to effusive praise across progressive media…

Oct 30, 2023 • 

Matt Huber

Questions on the Build Public Renewables Act, Part 1: Was This a Labor Victory?

Correcting the progressive and socialist record on labor’s involvement in the successful campaign to Build Public Renewables in New York.

Oct 27, 2023 • 

Matt Huber

May 2023

New York Slated to Expand Public Power

Though it's no Green New Deal, new budget legislation should provide the impetus for the New York Power Authority to rekindle its past institutional…

May 3, 2023 • 

Fred Stafford

February 2023

Build Public Renewables: When Less is More

Why Gov. Hochul's new offering of the Build Public Renewables Act is overall an improvement over the legislature's bill, despite preserving an essential…

Feb 9, 2023 • 

Fred Stafford