Columnist urges US Congress to repeal District of Columbia energy mandates — The Hill

In the United States, Andrew Follett, a columnist for The Hill, urged Congress to repeal the District of Columbia's renewable energy requirements. In his view, lawmakers can review the Washington City Council's decision under the Home Rule Act, since the US Constitution grants Congress legislative authority over the district.

Federal standards

Follett also writes about the US Environmental Protection Agency's repeal of the Carbon Pollution Standards for power plants, adopted in 2024 under the administration of Joe Biden. According to the author, the rules required emissions-control technologies that had not been adequately demonstrated and could lead to the premature retirement of power plants.

According to data cited in the column, repealing the rules could save Americans $310 billion by restoring affordable baseload electricity generation. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, in a statement cited by Follett, said that Donald Trump's administration seeks to protect American energy and reduce consumers' electricity costs.

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Prices in Washington

The column claims that electricity prices in the District of Columbia rose by 66%, while in neighboring Maryland and Virginia they increased by 50% and 20%, respectively. Follett links this to local renewable energy requirements and notes that compliance costs, according to the data he cites, increased from $65 million in 2020 to $272.6 million in 2025.

The author also draws attention to a provision in the district's statute under which the new standard does not apply to electricity sold to the District of Columbia government, except for independent agencies, authorities, and institutions. Follett called this an argument for political action by Republicans ahead of the US midterm elections.