PPL Montana to mothball coal-fired plant in 2015
September 21 11:50 Am
On September 20,2012 CBS news
reported that a coal plant in Billings, Montana will indefinitely shut down in
April 2015 because of the new environmental regulations. PPL Montana will
mothball the Corette plant because all over United States coal fired generation
is on a steep decline. The 44-year-old plant is also being forced to shut down
because of the new environmental laws costing company $38 million in upgrades.
Many companies are abandoning
less-efficient coal plants and in favor of gas plants. PPL Montana will maintain its operating
permits for the 35-employee Corette plant in case circumstance changes. The plant burns 700,000 tons of coal
annually from an unspecified mine or mines in the Powder River Basin of Montana
and Wyoming.
Modern market has made it difficult
for coal burning plants to compete for higher business. With the help of EPA
and their new environmental regulations Corette will be shut down for further
notice. PPL deserved
praise for making its announcement so far ahead of time, which was done as a
courtesy to the plant's workers.
Not just Corette according to the
Energy Information Administration 57 other plants generating a combined 8,990
megawatts expected to retire this year. All over world people are avoiding coal
plants because they are more expensive to run and very costly to maintain. Coal
releases a lot of emissions in the air causing serious damage to the
environment. Core countries require most coal using companies to improve their
filter systems and have the latest safety systems. This cost a fortune to the
companies resulting in permanent shut down of the company or move overseas.
This article is important because
this is a huge debate in global market whether to follow safety regulations or
send the plant over seas, which increases job loss. Organizations like EPA will
ask all major plants to improve their environmental standards but not every
body is willing to pay. Should we worry about our long term health or Job loss?
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