Federal regs force coal plant closures now, higher rates later, critics warn

Fox News ^ | 9/5/2012 | By Joshua Rhett Miller

[tobyhill]

The closure of seven coal-fired electric plants in four states could be a sign of things to come as tough new emissions standards threaten to relegate America’s top energy source to the back burner.

FirstEnergy Corp., headquartered in Ohio, closed power plants on Saturday in Albright, Rivesville, and Willow Island, W.Va., along with four others in Ohio, Maryland and Pennsylvania as the company phases out aging facilities that cannot comply with new environmental regulations. Three others in Ohio also will be closed in 2015, company officials told FoxNews.com.

“We estimate that it will cost approximately $975 million to make our remaining seven coal-fired power plants compliant with the new [Mercury and Air Toxics Standards] rules,” FirstEnergy spokesman Mark Durbin told FoxNews.com. “Another challenge that the entire industry is facing is a very aggressive three-year timeframe to get the work done. It’s also important to note that numerous other [Environmental Protection Agency] regulations, including those for coal ash, water intake and particulates, are on the horizon.”

[Road Glide]

“The closure of seven coal-fired electric plants in four states could be a sign of things to come as tough new emissions standards threaten to relegate America’s top energy source to the back burner.”

Candidate Romney should communicate with these companies privately — or perhaps even make a public policy speech — with the message that even if EPA is forcing them to shut down now, they should “idle” the plants involved rather than decommission them. With the implications that after January 2013, the restrictions will be removed or otherwise suspended or rescinded, and the plants will be welcomed back online by Washington.

If [hopefully President] Romney has any real intentions of restoring the supply side of America’s energy resources and production, immediate moves to get the EPA under control must be one of the first priorities of his fledgling administration. Even if that means firing all EPA managers (political appointees who serve “at the pleasure of the President”), and re-assigning job positions of civil service employees at EPA into slots where they can “do no harm”.

EPA is the single most destructive agency to the future of America.
It is time for it to go.
It’s that simple.

[BfloGuy]

Luckily (and it is pure luck) lots of Natural Gas will be coming on line as the 0bamanaughts shut down Coal Fired Electric plants.

True, but will the environmentalists and the NIMBY's let us build new natural gas plants to make up for the shortfall? I doubt it.

[ApplegateRanch]

Thanks for the list.

On the bright side of the coming brown/black outs, the "antiquated and inadequate" grid won't be overloaded any more.

Also, lot's of opportunities for new cottage industries to alleviate the unemployment problem.

/SARC

[Abathar]

Thanks for that link. The dates are 2011, a lot more were slated to close this year alone.