The main reason for the end of lignite mining in Texas was the vast reserves of natural gas that have been found, thus making lignite-fired plants non-competitive. That is why you see long coal trains headed down from Amarillo with “sub-bituminous” coal in them to take the place of the lignite. From what I have heard, many of the plants have switched over to natural gas.
California built many gas-fired combined cycle plants because they were cheap, gas was cheap, and (when they were built) “clean” and low-carbon.
The green kooks changed their minds and decided CH4 has too much C in it and they have shut down a lot of the gas plants.
Frankly, the whole situation is criminal. You should use coal and lignite to make electricity and save natural gas for high-value uses like home and commercial heating, making fertilizer, etc.