As if America hasn’t enough problems without a rogue agency running amok
EPA rules could shut 13,000 megawatts of Midwest coal plants – Proposed federal environmental regulations could shut about 13,000 megawatts of coal fired generation, boost power prices, threaten electric reliability and cost billions to retrofit or replace most of the region’s existing coal fleet, according to U.S. power grid operator Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO).
Over the past few years, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed four regulations to clean the air and water that will affect the nation’s coal-fired power plants.
The proposed rules have divided the power industry and the nation between those that produce much of their electricity by burning coal and those that rely on cleaner sources of energy like nuclear, natural gas and renewables.
More than half of MISO generating capacity consists of coal-fired units. MISO operates the grid in parts of 12 U.S. Midwest states and Manitoba in Canada.
To remain compliant with the proposed EPA rules, MISO generators may have to invest up to $33 billion to retrofit or replace about 62,000 MW of the grid’s 70,000 MW of coal-fired generation, Clair Moeller, MISO Vice President of Transmission Asset Management, told Reuters.
He said the MISO had joined with other regional grid operators to ask the EPA for some flexibility to give generators more time to comply with the rules to keep some key units available to help maintain power system reliability. (Reuters)
