Let’s talk about coal, baby. 

As we mentioned on Wednesday, a coal plant in Maryland, Brandon Shores, is slated to shut down in 2025 and PJM, the grid operator of the largest power market in America, is pitching a fit. PJM says they’re been caught off guard and can’t handle the threat to its system’s reliability. Talen, the Texas-based owner of Brandon Shores, says PJM has known about this since 2020 and so why is it complaining now?

So, who’s right and who’s wrong? The answer to that question reveals the sheer scale of complexity and lethal goofiness that threatens the American electricity system today.