Electricity-saving

Supreme Court backs electricity-saving rule

The Supreme Court today rescued an administration-supported rule that promotes electricity conservation, handing a big victory to environmentalists and President Barack Obama.

The 6-2 decision overturned a federal appeals panel ruling and affirmed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s authority to incentivize programs that reduce power consumption during peak demand periods by paying large users to curb their demand. Although states could opt out of FERC's regulation, the lower court argued that the agency had overstepped its powers.

Those “demand response” programs help grid operators avoid blackouts and keep consumer costs down, reducing the need for generators to turn on older, dirtier power plants.