President Trump Calls for Emergency Procurement Auction to Address Escalating Electricity Prices

To reduce and stabilize energy prices for American families that have increased 25% to 30% since January 2021, the Trump Administration has announced a bipartisan agreement urging PJM to implement an “emergency power auction” that would require technology giants to fund approximately $15 billion in new power plant construction across the PJM grid region. This initiative reflects common sense conservative governance: those who benefit from infrastructure should bear its cost.

Energy costs have increased Since 2021 due to Biden era inflation increases in fuel, equipment and labor costs that have been passed on to consumers. In addition, Utilities have faced huge costs to replace aging power plants, transmission lines, new government regulations, and grid components, with supply chain issues making these upgrades even more expensive.

Now with the United States leading the way on Artificial Intelligence (AI), there are major new demands from data centers (AI), electric vehicles, and manufacturing – outstripping supply growth and pushing prices up.  President Trump feels those who benefit from this economic boom should cover the costs of energy demands for data centers.

“Energy security paid for by the companies that benefit from it, not hard-working American families, is the premise of the Trump Administrations action last week,” said Sarah Hunt, President, Rainey Center.  She continued, “We commend President Trump for his leadership in ensuring that companies benefiting from infrastructure contribute to its funding through a competitive auction.”

Not only could this bi-partisan initiative help reduce and stabilize energy prices long term, the initiative aims to result in billions in new domestic power generation, strengthening American energy security and independence. 

Sarah Hunt concluded, “The Trump Administration’s direction to PJM to initiate an emergency power auction demonstrates that pro-growth policies and consumer protection are not mutually exclusive. By leveraging market mechanisms, this initiative protects American families from bearing the cost of Silicon Valley’s AI expansion while ensuring continued investment in domestic energy infrastructure. This is what America First energy policy looks like: expanding supply, protecting consumers, and ensuring those who benefit from our infrastructure pay their fair share.

Sarah Hunt concluded, “The Trump Administration’s emergency power auction demonstrates that pro-growth policies and consumer protection are not mutually exclusive. By leveraging market mechanisms, this initiative protects American families from bearing the cost of Silicon Valley’s AI expansion while ensuring continued investment in domestic energy infrastructure. This is what America First energy policy looks like: expanding supply, protecting consumers, and ensuring those who benefit from our infrastructure pay their fair share.”

About Sarah Hunt

Sarah E. Hunt is a globally focused leader in climate advocacy, technology, and democracy. Her expertise is regularly sought by national publications such as The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. As President of the Joseph Rainey Center for Public Policy, a think tank and leadership community in Washington D.C., Ms. Hunt leads her team to generate new solutions to some of our nation’s most critical challenges and then cultivates a new generation of leaders to actually implement them.

Prior to founding the Rainey Center, much of Hunt’s background centered in the areas of climate change and election law. She launched a clean energy program at the American Legislative Exchange Council and a climate change program at the Niskanen Center. Before that, she managed state issues and ethics for a political consulting firm and practiced political law at a boutique law firm in the Pacific Northwest.

She currently also serves as Director, Policy & Strategy at the Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability Solutions Service at Arizona State University. Ms. Hunt holds a BA in political science from the University of New Mexico, a JD from Willamette University College of Law, an LLM in international environmental law from Georgetown University Law Center, and an MPS in global advocacy from the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management. She is admitted to the bar in Washington, DC, Oregon, and the 9th Circuit.

Chuck Warren
Rainey Center
chuck@septembergroupllc.com
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