Washington Post Report Grounding: The Trump administration plans to repeal Biden-era EPA limits on power plant carbon dioxide emissions. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin cited reducing Americans' monthly electricity bills as the primary motivation.
Model benchmarks US fleet generation (~4,000 TWh baseline), 111(b)/111(d) compliance costs, and average household consumption (676 kWh pass-through equivalent).
Policy & Generation Controls
34%
Baseline coal fleet share without mandatory CCS or early retirement.
38%
Combined-cycle & peaker natural gas generation.
28%
Zero-carbon generation sources (solar, wind, hydro, nuclear).
Coal: 34%
Gas: 38%
Zero-Carbon: 28%
1450 lbs/MWh
Fleet weighted emission rate per megawatt-hour produced.
$12.50 / MWh
Estimated regulatory compliance cost passed to retail consumers.
Estimated Monthly Bill Impact
Savings
-$8.45
per average household / month
Projected Annual CO2 Emissions
+14.2%
1642.8 MT
vs. Biden EPA Baseline (1,438.5 MT)
Policy Trade-Off Curve Direct Comparison
Detailed Scenario Comparison
| Metric | Biden EPA Standards | Active Scenario | Net Variance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Power CO2 | 1,438.5 MT | 1,642.8 MT | +204.3 MT (+14.2%) |
| Monthly Electric Bill | Baseline ($142.50) | $134.05 | -$8.45 / mo |
| Coal Generation Share | 16.0% | 34.0% | +18.0% |
| Compliance Pass-Through | $12.50 / MWh | $0.00 / MWh | -$12.50 / MWh |
Simulation models grid reliability dispatch, retail pass-through ratios, and EPA greenhouse gas inventory coefficients.