WASHINGTON, June 10 (Reuters) - Renewable energy sources

like wind and solar power are needed to meet rapidly growing

energy demand in the United States amid near-term obstacles to

increasing natural gas capacity, said NextEra CEO John Ketchum

on Tuesday.

The head of the Florida-based power producer said at the

Politico Energy Summit that competition and high costs to obtain

gas turbines, a construction labor shortage, and the costs

associated with tariffs mean that it will take at least seven

years to get new gas-fired power plants online.

"We need a bridge to get ourselves to 2032 when that gas

shows up ... And when that gas shows up, it's going be three

times more expensive than it's ever been," Ketchum said.

"If we take renewables off the table, we are going to have a

real power shortage problem in this country."

U.S. House lawmakers narrowly passed a budget reconciliation

bill last month that would phase out clean energy tax credits,

slash spending on renewables, and claw back other

climate-related funds.

The House bill, which is now being debated by the Senate,

shortens the window for developers to start and complete new

clean energy projects to qualify for tax credits, and makes the

incentives unworkable, Ketchum said.

Ketchum's comments reverse an oft-repeated defense of

natural gas in the fossil fuel industry during previous

administrations seeking to fight climate change that had framed

the fuel as a bridge to a renewables-driven carbon-free energy

system.

Trump opposes renewable energy subsidies and wants to expand

production of oil, gas and coal. He has also declared an "energy

emergency" to spur more fuel and electricity production, in part

to meet growing demand for power for data centers and artificial

intelligence.