Posted on 06/14/2011 12:40:23 PM PDT by Yosemitest
Obama said before the 2008 election
So there you have the socialist Obama admitting what his plan was
but somebody threw a wrench in the works.
The Democrats couldnt get Obamas cap and trade through congress.
Obama wasnt fazed and proclaimed he would effectively accomplish his goal
by letting the EPA mandate new regulations
that would make coal fired plants very expensive to retrofit and operate.
Mission accomplished.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, June 9, 2011 – American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) today announced the company’s plan for complying with a series of regulations proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that would impact coal-fueled power plants. Based on the regulations as proposed, AEP’s compliance plan would retire nearly 6,000 megawatts (MW) of coal-fueled power generation; upgrade or install new advanced emissions reduction equipment on another 10,100 MW; refuel 1,070 MW of coal generation as 932 MW of natural gas capacity; and build 1,220 MW of natural gas-fueled generation. The cost of AEP’s compliance plan could range from $6 billion to $8 billion in capital investment through the end of the decade. High demand for labor and materials due to a constrained compliance time frame could drive actual costs higher than these estimates. The plan, including retirements, could change significantly depending on the final form of the EPA regulations and regulatory approvals from state commissions.
The retirements and retrofits in the plan are in addition to more than $7.2 billion that AEP has invested since 1990 to reduce emissions from its coal-fueled generation fleet. Annual emissions of nitrogen oxides from AEP plants are 80 percent lower today than in 1990. Sulfur dioxide emissions from AEP plants are 73 percent lower than in 1990. The company currently owns nearly 25,000 MW of coal-fueled generation, approximately 65 percent of its total generating capacity. Coal would fuel approximately 57 percent of AEP’s total generating capacity by the end of the decade.
“We support regulations that achieve long-term environmental benefits while protecting customers, the economy and the reliability of the electric grid, but the cumulative impacts of the EPA’s current regulatory path have been vastly underestimated, particularly in Midwest states dependent on coal to fuel their economies. We have worked for months to develop a compliance plan that will mitigate the impact of these rules for our customers and preserve jobs, but because of the unrealistic compliance timelines in the EPA proposals, we will have to prematurely shut down nearly 25 percent of our current coal-fueled generating capacity, cut hundreds of good power plant jobs, and invest billions of dollars in capital to retire, retrofit and replace coal-fueled power plants. The sudden increase in electricity rates and impacts on state economies will be significant at a time when people and states are still struggling,” said Michael G. Morris, AEP chairman and chief executive officer.
Although some jobs would be created from the installation of emissions reduction equipment, AEP expects a net loss of approximately 600 power plant jobs with annual wages totaling approximately $40 million as a result of compliance with the proposed EPA rules.
“We are deeply concerned about the impact of the proposed regulations on our customers and local economies. Communities that have depended on these plants to provide good jobs and support local services will face significant reductions in payroll and property taxes in a very short period of time. The economic impact will extend far beyond direct employment at power plants as thousands of ancillary jobs are supported by every coal-fueled generating unit. Businesses that have benefited from reasonably priced coal-fueled power will face the impact of electricity price increases ranging from 10 percent to more than 35 percent just for compliance with these environmental rules at a time when they are still trying to recover from the economic downturn,” Morris said.
“Although discounted by some, the potential impacts on the reliability of the transmission system, particularly in the Midwest, are significant. The proposed timelines for compliance aren’t adequate for construction of significant retrofits or replacement generation, so many coal-fueled plants would be prematurely retired or idled in just a few years. AEP’s compliance plan alone would abruptly cut generation capacity in the Midwest by more than 5,400 MW. Depending on the year, another 1,500 MW to 5,200 MW of AEP generation would be idled or curtailed for extended periods as pollution control equipment is installed,” Morris said.
AEP has shared its compliance plan with PJM Interconnection, Southwest Power Pool and North American Electric Reliability Corp. for use in their evaluation of the impacts of EPA’s proposed rules.
“We will continue to work through the EPA process with the hope that the agency will recognize the cumulative impact of the proposed rules and develop a more reasonable compliance schedule. We also will continue talking with lawmakers in Washington about a legislative approach that would achieve the same long-term environmental goals with less negative impact on jobs and the U.S. economy,” Morris said. “With more time and flexibility, we will get to the same level of emission reductions, but it will cost our customers less and will prevent premature job losses, extend the construction job benefits, and ensure the ongoing reliability of the electric system.”
AEP’s current plan for compliance with the rules as proposed includes permanently retiring the following coal-fueled power plants:
AEP would retire generating units at the following locations but continue operating some generation at the sites:
The two coal-fueled generating units at Northeastern Plant (935 MW) in Oolagah, Okla., would be idled for a year or more while emission reduction equipment is installed. Both units would be idled beginning Jan. 1, 2016. One unit would return to service by Dec. 31, 2016. The other unit would return to service by Dec. 31, 2017.
AEP will complete construction of the Dresden Plant (580 MW natural gas) in Dresden, Ohio, in 2012.
In addition to the retrofits above, AEP would install or upgrade emissions reduction equipment at seven other coal-fueled power plants in Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Ohio and Texas.
When the AnointedIdiot and his posse of idiot-ridden administration goons destroy this country economically, will he be “getting it done”? =.=
He said he’d stick it to certain folks..
He ain’t lying on that one..
How many jobs are doomed?
Change. (snicker ...... sobbbbb)
Never again.
China is building one per week.
The USA ran out of coal a few years after the end of WW2 the expurts assure us. 0’bama, marxist, queerbait, is full of shite.
Thereal story is the number of coal fired units that were scrubbed because of Barky’s “bankruptcy” promise.
The legislature better move to defund the EPA or we are all going to be seeing rolling brownouts or rolling blackouts. Just like any good third world country. Thanks Barry. We hated being number one in the world.
Baraq gives Republicans all the tools they need to defeat him.
Baraq and two of his cabinet are on record as favoring “European” levels of gasoline prices also.
The MSM will ignore this, but the Republicans better take these gifts and use them in 2012.
...Send the EPA to China to test the prudence of Obamas vision.
But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever” John Adams.
Yes they had better de-fund but I doubt that whomever is elected - they won’t.
But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever” John Adams.
Yes they had better de-fund but I doubt that whomever is elected - they won’t.
What a pizzashit with all the disjointed policies ....excepting the ruination of America and her economy.
Tell me, with that much less energy, how do I fuel up my $50,000 government sanctioned GM Dolt with electricity that will be 50% more expensive? Either way... hosed by Obama’s GM., hosed by Obama and his big wrecking machine then its Obama and the EPA.
Wonder how people will be able to charge their Volts with fewer power plants?
Oh yeah, wind and solar. Never mind, we are too stupid to figure it out.
Would the government send troops? And what if they did? Perhaps it's time to find out. It is going to happen eventually. Why not force the issue while we still have an economy and a country worth defending?
Wonder how people will be able to charge their Volts with fewer power plants?
Oh yeah, wind and solar. Never mind, we are too stupid to figure it out.
Of course, no one in W Va may have a job by the end of 2014, unless the work for the Feds.
I think you are totally right. What is going to happen in the end is the individual states are going to get a bellyful of the EPA and tell them to go pack sand. I wish the Gov of GA would just escort all the Federal agents, TSA, EPA, DHS etc to the state line and tell them not to come back. At some point I predict that is what is going to happen all over the country. At least in the Red states.
Don’t look to the power industry to do anything. They don’t care if prices go up, they will just pass it on to the rate payers just like they have been passing on the increased cost of ‘green’ energy.
Well, I guess we’ll have to not travel...
oh, could that be the actual goal? ya think?
“WAY! MAKE WAY FOR THE HONORABLE [fill in your elitist ruling class title here]!”
(elitist liberal rumbles by in their gas powered motorcade)
neofeudalism - that’s what they want here.
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