Natural gas-fired generation still needed: utility CEOs


Substation Relay Protection Training

Our customized live online or in‑person group training can be delivered to your staff at your location.

  • Live Online
  • 12 hours Instructor-led
  • Group Training Available
Regular Price:
$699
Coupon Price:
$599
Reserve Your Seat Today
Natural gas-fired generation will play an important role in a carbon-constrained world because it is cleaner and more reliable than other fossil fuels, Sempra Energy Chairman and CEO Don Felsinger and other utility executives said.

California is moving aggressively to curb climate change, in part by ramping up renewable resources, but gas-fired plants will be needed to hedge green resources, Felsinger said at the Goldman Sachs 8th Annual Power & Utility Conference in New York.

Wisconsin Energy Chairman, President and CEO Gale Klappa echoed Felsinger's views. Given mounting legal challenges to coal-fired generation and the intermittent nature of renewable resources, Wisconsin Energy's "default" position is natural gas, Klappa said. At the same time, Klappa expressed concern about the rising cost of natural gas.

Klappa said he believes there is a "pretty significant move right now" to repeal his state's ban on new nuclear facilities. While Wisconsin is investing heavily in renewables, Klappa said he believes new nuclear power needs to be considered. He noted that 20% of the state's energy comes from nuclear plants.

Asked whether the nation's infrastructure is ready to support a boost in gas-fired generation, Felsinger said the US is "probably not ready as a country," but it has the most sophisticated natural gas infrastructure as any country in the world. It's "not enough but it's a start," he said.

Related News

The biggest problem facing the U.S. electric grid isn't demand. It's climate change

US power grid modernization addresses aging infrastructure, climate resilience, extreme weather, EV demand, and clean…
View more

Bomb Cyclone Leaves Half a Million Without Power in Western Washington

Western Washington Bomb Cyclone unleashed gale-force winds, torrential rain, and coastal flooding, causing massive power…
View more

Energy Vault Lands $110M From SoftBank’s Vision Fund for Gravity Storage

Energy Vault Gravity Storage uses crane-stacked concrete blocks to deliver long-duration, grid-scale renewable energy; a…
View more

Proposed underground power line could bring Iowa wind turbine electricity to Chicago

SOO Green Underground Transmission Line proposes an HVDC corridor buried along Canadian Pacific railroad rights-of-way…
View more

Florida Court Blocks Push to Break Electricity Monopolies

Florida Electricity Deregulation Ruling highlights the Florida Supreme Court decision blocking a ballot measure on…
View more

US Electricity Prices Rise Most in 41 Years as Inflation Endures

US Electricity Price Surge drives bills as BLS data show 15.8 percent jump; natural gas…
View more

Sign Up for Electricity Forum’s Newsletter

Stay informed with our FREE Newsletter — get the latest news, breakthrough technologies, and expert insights, delivered straight to your inbox.

Electricity Today T&D Magazine Subscribe for FREE

Stay informed with the latest T&D policies and technologies.
  • Timely insights from industry experts
  • Practical solutions T&D engineers
  • Free access to every issue

Download the 2026 Electrical Training Catalog

Explore 50+ live, expert-led electrical training courses –

  • Interactive
  • Flexible
  • CEU-cerified