EIA reveals a quarter of US coal capacity at risk of retirement

• 10 years ago (2014-03-31)
• Junior Isles

North America 1021 Nuclear 659

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Operators of coal-fired power plants throughout the United States are currently deciding on strategies to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), but up to 24 per cent of coal capacity may be chosen for retirement, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The MATS requires that coal-fired power plants incorporate the maximum achievable control technologies (MACT) by April 2015 in order to control excess emissions of acid gases, toxic metals, and mercury.

By 2013, 70 per cent of the U. coal generating capacity possessed MATS compliant environmental control equipment, securing operation past 2016, and another 6 per cent planned to add such control equipment.

The crucial figures are that 8 per cent of US coal capacity is planned to be retired rather than comply, and a further 16 per cent of capacity has an uncertain future over whether to be upgraded or retired.

This leaves the possibility that around a quarter of US coal capacity could be decommissioned, though it is likely that at least some of the currently uncertain capacity will be retained.