According to statistics from the Energy Information Administration, for several decades, there were few new coal-fired plants being built, Owing mainly to environmental opposition and the resulting legal and regulatory challenges, natural gas units and, more recently, wind turbines were being built instead. But that trend may be changing somewhat. In 2009, both the National Energy Technology Laboratory and the EIA report new coal-fired plants came on line. According to NETL, 3,218 megawatts of coal-fired power plants came on-line in 2009, the most in one year since 1991. Further, NETL reports that 22 units are in the construction pipeline, while EIA reports that 5 new coal-fired units came on line in just the first 6 months of this year.
Duke Energy said Wednesday it might close seven coal-fired units at its Carolinas power plants within five years as environmental regulations intensify. Federal regulators are expected to stiffen limits on pollutants that form smog, acid rain and haze, Duke said in an annual planning document filed with the N.C. Utilities Commission. New rules for toxic mercury emissions and coal ash are also expected. Shutting down old units can be cheaper for utilities than refitting them with new pollution controls. Duke said it may retire by 2015 all coal-fired units for which it’s not economical to install sulfur-dioxide controls called scrubbers.
