both LasVegasDave and Flutters.
Posted on 01/26/2012 11:02:11 AM PST by EBH
Akron, Ohio, January 26, 2012 — FirstEnergy Corp. generation subsidiaries will retire six older coal-fired power plants located in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland by September 1, 2012.
The decision to close the power plants is based on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, which were recently finalized, and other environmental regulations.
The total capacity of the competitive plants that will be retired is 2,689 MW. Recently, these plants served mostly as peaking or intermediate facilities, generating, on average, about 10 percent of the electricity produced by the company over the past three years.
The following plants will be retired: Bay Shore Plant, Units 2-4, Oregon, Ohio; Eastlake Plant, Eastlake, Ohio; Ashtabula Plant, Ashtabula, Ohio; Lake Shore Plant, Cleveland, Ohio; Armstrong Power Station, Adrian, Pa.; and R. Paul Smith Power Station, Williamsport, Md.
In total, 529 employees will be directly affected. Existing severance benefits will apply to eligible, affected employees. However, the final number of affected employees could be less as some are considered for open positions at other FirstEnergy facilities and work locations, and eligible employees take advantage of a retirement benefit being offered to those 55 years and older.
The plant retirements are subject to review for reliability impacts, if any, by PJM Interconnection, the regional transmission organization that controls the area where they are located.
FirstEnergy is finalizing MATS compliance plans for its remaining coal-fired units. Since the Clean Air Act became law in 1970, FirstEnergy and its predecessor companies have invested more than $10 billion in environmental protection efforts.
Since 1990, FirstEnergy has reduced emissions of nitrogen oxides by more than 76 percent, sulfur dioxide by more than 86 percent and mercury by about 56 percent. When the six coal-fired plants are removed from FirstEnergy's competitive generating fleet, more than 96 percent of the power provided will come from resources that are non- or low-emitting, including nuclear, hydro, pumped-storage hydro, natural gas and scrubbed coal units.
FirstEnergy has a total generating capacity of nearly 23,000 MW.
The libs would rather see undependable, wasteful projects like the LEAP windfarm:
http://digg.com/newsbar/topnews/wasteful_wind_power
Has FE built any simple or combined cycle Gas Turbine plants lately? Those are perfect swing/peaker plants. And there is a big source of gas nearby in PA.
I beat you to it at #15!
Don’t know. Most utils are going that way and thankfully we got enough gas for the ages. Only downside is forcing them to build new plants will result in rate increases.
My son will still be alive when all the “glut” natural gas is used up, at TODAY’S rate of usage - let alone when everyone starts using it for everything.
The only things that will give us enough energy for the ages - millions and millions of years - are uranium and thorium.
The real question is why they would not replace the lost generation capacity with a new clean coal or NG plant. It is possible they don't need the excess capacity in low growth NE Ohio.
Obviously, they believe they can purchase power from other generators more cheaply than they can replace the capacity. And who would want to make a major capital investment commitment so long as Obama is in power?
They might also be crossing their fingers and hoping that the next administration pulls the EPA's fangs.
Ashtabula. So sad. Nothing left there.
There will be no natural gas glut in Ohio.
Ohio may not participate in adding supply into the glut, but that doesn't mean that gas is likely to be significantly more expensive in Ohio than in places which do allow shale gas production. Assuming that pipeline capacity is adequate.
The total capacity of the competitive plants that will be retired is 2,689 MW
This is the equivalent of two large, modern, base load nuclear power plants.
Which will of course never be approved under a Democratic administration; particularly this one.
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