Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo on May 9 announced that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation established regulations requiring all the power plants in the state to meet new emission limits for carbon dioxide. No existing coal-fired sources are expected to continue beyond 2020 under the new rule, as emissions control technology needed for…
The United States produced a record amount of energy from various sources in 2018, reaching 96 quadrillion British thermal units, 8 percent higher than in the previous year, according to the Energy Information Administration’s latest Monthly Energy Review. While fossil fuels like crude oil and natural gas saw increases of 17 and 12 percent respectively…
Regions across the U.S. that have long served as strongholds for conventional, non-renewable generating capacity — from Georgia and Michigan to Tennessee — are now starting to accelerate the phase out of the legacy assets in favor of sourcing power from wind and solar, showing just how far-reaching the shift to renewables is spreading.
The U.S. Energy Department on April 11 announced up to about $100 million for research projects under its “Coal FIRST” initiative, which aims to develop modular coal-based power plants built with advanced methods to meet the requirements of the evolving electric grid. The agency will also invest up to $87 million in innovative coal technologies…
The Idaho Public Utilities Commission is taking comments on a proposal by Idaho Power for a uniform increase to all base rates of 0.11 percent in order to finance the retirement of the North Valmy generating station, a two-unit coal-fired power plant with a capacity of 522 megawatts. The utility’s proposal calls for additional retirement costs to be…
Strong international demand, particularly in Asia, has provided relief for U.S. coal producers reeling from the effects of the shale revolution, which has led to national coal consumption declining every year since 2008, according to the Energy Information Administration. The agency reports that U.S. coal exports reached 116 million short tons (MMst) in 2018, the highest level…
Natural gas accounted for nearly 31 percent of power generation in PJM Interconnection LLC’s footprint in 2018, surpassing coal’s share of about 29 percent, according to a March 18 report from the grid operator’s market monitor. Nuclear power dominated the region’s generating sector representing about 34 percent of the generation mix last year. Renewables had…...
The U.S. added 31.3 gigawatts of generating capacity in 2018, the largest since the 2003 capacity addition of 48.8 gigawatts, according to a March 11 report from the Energy Information Administration. Natural gas accounted for 62 percent of utility-scale additions, while wind and solar photovoltaic represented 21 percent and 16 percent, respectively. Coal accounted for…...
Wyoming lawmakers on Feb. 27 approved legislation that would establish a process for the sale coal-fired power plants, which would otherwise be retired. The bill would require utilities to look for buyers before attempting to close coal generators, and buy back power from the plants if they are sold. (SF 159) Under the bill, utilities…
The Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors on Feb. 14 approved the retirement of Paradise Unit 3 by 2020 and the Bull Run Fossil Plant by 2023, in order to better balance its generation system with changing demands. The vote reflects TVA’s commitment to replace less-efficient coal-fired plants with cleaner resources, despite President Donald Trump’s…...
The U.S. Energy Department announced funding for cost-shared research and development projects aimed to develop advanced technologies that enhance the performance, reliability, and flexibility of existing coal power plants, according to a Jan. 23 press release. The research effort is intended to lower emissions and foster new technologies that benefit the grid. Projects will support…...
Montana House lawmaker Rodney Garcia, a Republican, introduced legislation on Jan. 15 that would allow the state to sell bonds for up to $500 million to purchase coal-fired generation facilities whose acquisition would be in the public interest. The bill aims at saving the Colstrip plant, which is facing a bleak future as climate change…...
