Posted on 04/25/2013 1:44:05 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
New EPA regulations could force the closure of 65 percent of coal plants across the country, A Duke University study shows. That trend can already be seen in Indiana.
Duke Energy officials is planning to close four of its coal processing units at its Wabash River Facility in 2015. They are still deciding whether to transition a fifth unit to a natural gas processor.
Duke Energy Spokesman Lew Middleton says since 1990, Duke has spent about $2.8 billion to upgrade its Indiana facilities so they comply with EPA regulations.
“These units here at Wabash River—units two, three, four and five—are some of the oldest that we have in our system,” Middleton says. “When you do the economic analysis, it just does not make economic sense for us to install the pollution controls that would be necessary to meet the new EPA standards.”
A Duke University study shows EPA regulations, combined with the low price of natural gas, is making many older coal plants economically infeasible.
And while the price natural gas is playing a role, the study emphasizes that even if natural gas were four times as expensive as coal, producing natural gas would still be cheaper than retrofitting an old coal plant.
Citizens Action Coalition Director Kerwin Olson says regardless of the reason, shutting down coal plants is a good thing.
“The environmentally friendly choice, the best choice for public health and the best choice for our economy is transitioning away from coal to renewable energy and energy efficiency,” he says. “There’s an enormous opportunity economically to develop those resources.”
Coal is still the dominate form of energy in Indiana, and officials say that is unlikely to change for many more years.
From Hotair:
There’s a silver lining for every cloud, even if it means that the thousands of people employed directly or indirectly by these companies and the communities they support have to go hit the unemployment lines. And the real bite in the backside is the vast amount of time, energy and money which has been spent in new technologies intended to bring them in line with rapidly evolving government expectations. Their investments are being rewarded with a big, wet slap in the face.
Obama: My Plan Makes Electricity Rates Necessarily Skyrocket
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlTxGHn4sH4
costs will skyrocket for the replacement of that energy..looks good on paper..but its going to hit a lot of pocketbooks...and Nat Gas will not stay this low forever...
We can all celebrate earth day in the dark...
I’m an Hoosier Duke Energy consumer, and I can tell you my electric bill has skyrocketed in the past three years.
I am amazed that people didn’t listen to what he was saying when he ran for office in 2008. But it’s just human nature.
“The environmentally friendly choice, the best choice for public health and the best choice for our economy is transitioning away from coal to renewable energy and energy efficiency,” he says. “There’s an enormous opportunity economically to develop those resources.”
Horse hocky, BEE ESS, of the first order, and mark my words, when natural gas prices start to rise when coal competition is reduced to nothing, there will be the usual screaming by liberals.
..looks good on paper..but its going to hit a lot of pocketbooks...and Nat Gas will not stay this low forever...
It doesn’t look good on paper, and you are spot on vis-a-vis natural gas prices.
Time to stockpile tires to burn next winter.
Obama told us before the election that he was going to shut down coal plants and now he is doing it. Anyone who works in the coal industry who voted for Obama is a complete idiot.
When Dear Leader and EPA shut down more coal plants, where does the electricity come from: whale oil, biopoop, wind or solar? Get real and urge the House of Representatives to enact Bill of Impeachment of Dear Leader.
Well people who listened to Fox or talk radio (conservative)
heard all about Obama. If they watched the lame stream which a lot of folks do they heard nothing about what makes the jerk tick. I loathe Obama and the rest of his clan.
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