The legislation, House Bill 1414, comes as large utilities across Indiana have announced plans to shut down thousands of megawatts of coal-fired generating capacity in favor of cheaper fuel sources.
The legislation to slow down the exodus from coal comes as large utilities across Indiana have announced plans to shut down thousands of megawatts of coal-fire generating capacity in favor of cheaper fuel sources, such as natural gas, solar and wind.
This week, the Indianapolis City-County Council passed a special resolution that calls on Indianapolis Power & Light to shut down its largest generating station 14 years sooner than currently planned.
An energy cooperative announced Tuesday it will close a southwestern Indiana power plant in 2023, affecting 185 workers.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, comes as several large Indiana utilities are planning to shut down thousands of megawatts of coal-fired generating capacity in coming years in favor of cleaner or cheaper fuel sources.
The Petersburg Generating Station, about 120 miles southwest of Indianapolis, has been called a “super polluter” by environmental groups, with violations for excess sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxide particulate matter and sulfuric mist.
Monday’s change would loosen some of the requirements for cleaning up the waste streams from coal-fired power plants and give utilities another two years to comply with some of the rules.
The company said it’s working with the affected employees “to identify comparable employment opportunities at four locations in Indiana and Illinois.
The groups say they’re concerned about potentially “dangerous air pollution” being released by Riverview Energy’s planned $2.5 billion project in southern Indiana.
The utility says it wants to keep most of its coal-fired plants in Indiana running through much of the next decade, while gradually investing in wind, solar and other renewable energy sources.
Environmental Protection Agency officials said Tuesday that modern industry practices and recently enacted regulations are sufficient to shield taxpayers from potential cleanup costs.
More than 800,000 customers of Duke Energy Indiana could see their monthly bills jump if the utility receives state permission to increase rates for the first time in about 15 years.
The utility had wanted to build the gas-fired plant to replace aging coal-burning units, but regulators said the plan was too risky and inflexible.
Scott Pruitt, the scandal-ridden former head of the Environmental Protection Agency, registered Thursday as fossil-fuels interests in the state fight to block the proposed closure of several coal-fired power plants.
The House voted 53-38 Thursday to strip language that would have prohibited the state from approving new power plants for two years, a move widely seen as delaying construction of renewable energy projects.
The House Utilities Committee advanced legislation this week along party lines that would prohibit state regulators from approving any large new power plants until 2021. Environmentalists and utilities say the move could interrupt the transition from coal to renewable fuels and natural gas.
The industry is retiring coal-fired plants in favor of cheaper energy sources, including gas, solar and wind.
American Resources Corp., formed in 2015, specializes in buying distressed coal assets from struggling or bankrupt coal operators.
Cleanup options include excavating ponds or capping the ponds and keeping the ash in place. Both methods require steps to be taken to protect the water quality of nearby rivers or lakes.
White Stallion Energy of Evansville says workers will be given the chance to transfer to one of the company’s other mine sites.
