Image: Tesla
A member of the US House of Representatives asks Tesla and Elon Musk to help bolster the power grid in Texas and the entire country. Troy Nehls has approached Elon Musk with a request in an open letter.
Rep. Troy Nehls, representing Fort Bend County, wrote an open letter to Tesla CEO Elon Musk. In it, he noted the company's merits in the formation of the EV market, speaking to the expectation of an increase in the number of electric vehicles and charging stations, as well as their impact on the US and Texas energy systems. In addition, he shared his concerns about the potential load on the country's energy systems. Nehls is known for having previously opposed the expansion of public electric vehicle charging stations because, in his opinion, it could lead to electricity problems across the country.
“I write to express my deep concerns regarding the potential inefficiencies of our nation's power grids as electric vehicles continue to become more popular,” Nehls wrote in the letter (via CHRON). “While the Biden administration refuses to acknowledge the expertise you bring as the Chief Executive Officer of the largest electric vehicle company in the world, I believe you bring a unique perspective to help strengthen and increase the resiliency of the nation's power grids.”
Nehls sits on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. He is known for his support of the oil and gas industry and mentioned in his letter the existence of untapped reserves of oil and natural gas in the US. In addition, he criticized renewable forms of electricity generation such as wind and solar energy, ignoring research evidence and experience that confirm their effectiveness.
While Nehls did not offer any specific ideas or suggestions, he said he hopes, with the help of Musk and Tesla, he can forge an effective relationship between private businesses and the government to ensure the long-term stability of the electricity grid.
“The continued success of the people of Texas and Tesla Inc. and its stakeholders is largely dependent on a reliable electricity grid,” Nehls said in the letter. “As we continue to work towards solutions to guarantee our power grids can meet the nation's increased electric demands, I believe—with your help—we can cultivate an effective relationship between private business and government to ensure the long-term stability of our electric grid.”
Nehls's words are vague and can only confuse what question, problem, or suggestion he is proposing to Musk. However, we know that Tesla has been working successfully with ERCOT for the past three years to stabilize the Texas power grid. The manufacturer already has a 100 Megawatt battery and is aiming to build another one. In addition, Tesla wants to connect Powerwalls installed in households to the Virtual Power Plant, in order to support the state's power grid in case of need.
© 2022, Eva Fox | Tesmanian. All rights reserved.
_____________________________
We appreciate your readership! Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Article edited by @SmokeyShorts, you can follow him on Twitter
About the Author
Eva Fox
Eva Fox joined Tesmanian in 2019 to cover breaking news as an automotive journalist. The main topics that she covers are clean energy and electric vehicles. As a journalist, Eva is specialized in Tesla and topics related to the work and development of the company.
