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UPDATE 1-US coal power plant retirements top 9,000 MW in 2012

Reuters -- More than 9,000 megawatts of coal-fired generation were retired in the United States in 2012 as stricter federal pollution standards moved closer to reality and cheaper natural gas made coal plants less attractive economically, according to a Reuters survey of power generators.

U.S. companies have retired or announced plans to shut or convert more than 36,000 MW of older coal-fired plants over the next few years as they work to reduce emissions in advance of new environmental rules and shift to less-expensive natural gas.

Eventually, the transition from coal may shut as much as 60,000 MW to 100,000 MW of coal-fired generation across the country, according to various industry estimates.

Coal plants account for about 316 gigawatts (GW) of generation in the United States, or about 30%...

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Submitted Jan 05, 2013 By: NOTSOGRN

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honda0105 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:18,834 Points:1,638,195 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Jan 8, 2013 6:06:18 AM Ignore honda0105 Report Abuse wonder how many lives that reduction in particulate matter saves.
MAC48 Champion Author Dallas Posts:1,581 Points:789,295 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Jan 7, 2013 1:32:00 AM Ignore MAC48 Report Abuse In the mid 1970s there was a prohibition on building new natural gas fired power plants to keep domestic natural gas supplies available for other industrial uses following the Arab Oil Embargo in 1972 or 1973. Electric companies were basically forced to turn to coal when building new power plants. Now that natural gas has fallen from the $12 to $15 range to the $3 to $4 dollar range per mmbtu combined with the new environmental push by the Obama administration, natural gas has become the current best choice for new electric power generation plants. The simple fact is that electric power can be produced in the quantities required by either coal or natural gas but many other industries, such as the chemical industry, cannot use coal and must use natural gas. Keep tuned in folks because if you live long enough this story will again turn back to coal being the electric power generation fuel of choice for new power plants when the inevitable rise in natural gas prices occurs due to a rise in price or governmental edict to assure adequate natural gas supplies for industries that must have natural gas to remain viable.
remay Champion Author Houston Posts:7,083 Points:2,144,190 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 11:46:37 PM Ignore remay Report Abuse not good
tidalwave3 Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:1,368 Points:1,489,680 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 6:14:30 PM Ignore tidalwave3 Report Abuse tell those coal miners in West Virginia area, Pres Obama. And hand out those pink slips :(
Catfish93001 Champion Author Ventura Posts:1,216 Points:251,200 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 1:04:15 PM Ignore Catfish93001 Report Abuse And then the price of natural gas goes up....
jethro5000 Champion Author Kentucky Posts:2,018 Points:418,935 Joined:Jun 2005	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 10:16:12 AM Ignore jethro5000 Report Abuse not sure what to say...
jkpsr Champion Author New Jersey Posts:4,212 Points:1,128,890 Joined:Jun 2005	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 2:09:51 AM Ignore jkpsr Report Abuse We will not miss the coal fired plants. Wait until clean coal gets perfected, although natural gas may remain the cheapest solution.
Doomsday64 All-Star Author Austin Posts:905 Points:353,350 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:39:59 AM Ignore Doomsday64 Report Abuse Not a good thing here.
5Golfer8 Champion Author Tucson Posts:2,263 Points:326,925 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:39:44 AM Ignore 5Golfer8 Report Abuse Ok
crreed1 Champion Author West Virginia Posts:2,105 Points:2,551,690 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:21:10 AM Ignore crreed1 Report Abuse old news
rahcat Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:2,700 Points:690,875 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:19:28 AM Ignore rahcat Report Abuse When it comes to unemployment....thank the EPA.
CiVX Champion Author Oakland Posts:7,146 Points:1,384,135 Joined:Feb 2009	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:13:32 AM Ignore CiVX Report Abuse Maybe its the reduced price of natural gas instead!
boatfloyd Champion Author Jacksonville Posts:1,863 Points:416,650 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:13:25 AM Ignore boatfloyd Report Abuse More Natural Gas Please.
skybiker Champion Author South Carolina Posts:7,413 Points:1,587,590 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:11:26 AM Ignore skybiker Report Abuse Too many rules!!...It's getting out of control!!
judgemobile Champion Author Ohio Posts:7,705 Points:2,472,635 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:10:34 AM Ignore judgemobile Report Abuse Bummer is out to destroy coal industry--is this what he was elected to do ?
Rooster922 Champion Author Wilmington Posts:3,930 Points:683,770 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:09:35 AM Ignore Rooster922 Report Abuse Really
fullauto Champion Author Reading Posts:5,430 Points:1,493,915 Joined:Apr 2008	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:08:33 AM Ignore fullauto Report Abuse starve em out of existence; oh, they did that to natives here all ready, and it worked.
viperND Champion Author South Bend Posts:3,457 Points:763,640 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:08:29 AM Ignore viperND Report Abuse hmmm
regout Champion Author Quebec Posts:3,100 Points:861,380 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:08:24 AM Ignore regout Report Abuse Very good news.
alaric76 Champion Author New Jersey Posts:16,683 Points:3,062,260 Joined:Nov 2004	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:07:49 AM Ignore alaric76 Report Abuse More government theft by regulation.
jrschl Champion Author Louisville Posts:3,107 Points:708,765 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:07:43 AM Ignore jrschl Report Abuse I hope they stick to their work and open the plant after they upgrade the facility. I foresee energy costs going up because they do not reopen the plant.
Beboper Champion Author Virginia Posts:8,868 Points:2,191,490 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:07:41 AM Ignore Beboper Report Abuse old news
Ferdman17 Champion Author Albany Posts:1,425 Points:402,010 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:06:57 AM Ignore Ferdman17 Report Abuse Seems like a no brainier with the price of natural gas.
mfeldstein Champion Author Ottawa Posts:8,306 Points:1,957,205 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:06:36 AM Ignore mfeldstein Report Abuse Good news.
rsox67 All-Star Author Connecticut Posts:799 Points:291,365 Joined:Jul 2012	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:05:33 AM Ignore rsox67 Report Abuse Ok
joel27nc Champion Author Raleigh Posts:10,677 Points:1,886,070 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:05:31 AM Ignore joel27nc Report Abuse Cleaner air!
KrsnaDragon Champion Author Montreal Posts:2,552 Points:559,225 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:03:25 AM Ignore KrsnaDragon Report Abuse This can only be good news.
cheaper0ON Champion Author Ontario Posts:1,123 Points:425,755 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:02:55 AM Ignore cheaper0ON Report Abuse Okay.
PrinceLH Champion Author Ontario Posts:2,832 Points:565,745 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:02:29 AM Ignore PrinceLH Report Abuse So be it!
bvrbill Champion Author Eugene Posts:3,445 Points:546,325 Joined:Jul 2011	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:01:19 AM Ignore bvrbill Report Abuse We need to keep all of our energy options.
WIWalt Champion Author Wisconsin Posts:1,857 Points:442,190 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jan 6, 2013 12:00:17 AM Ignore WIWalt Report Abuse So what is the trade off? cleaner air & poluted water from fracking fluid to drink!
PoohMcGoo Champion Author Alabama Posts:3,127 Points:823,335 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:59:06 PM Ignore PoohMcGoo Report Abuse Ok
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,992 Points:441,265 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:58:03 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse I still want to know what these "clean" coal facilities do with all of their mercury-laden fly ash, @thomas41546. Coal leaves behind ash when it's been burned and it's pretty nasty stuff. You don't want any getting into your rivers and streams.
mfeldstein Champion Author Ottawa Posts:8,306 Points:1,957,205 Joined:Feb 2007	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:56:43 PM Ignore mfeldstein Report Abuse Less coal more renewable.
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,992 Points:441,265 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:56:04 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse The problem with wanting to have both coal, and natural gas plants, @Carol7777 is that the industry hates to have any excess capacity when it comes to electricity production. They want their powerplants running at full throttle 24/7. If you have both, then one kind of plant has to be idle while the other one is producing power.
beachmanglen All-Star Author Tampa Posts:769 Points:521,650 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:55:26 PM Ignore beachmanglen Report Abuse Nuclear is the answer.
ldiggy All-Star Author Wilmington Posts:916 Points:317,275 Joined:Apr 2012	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:55:06 PM Ignore ldiggy Report Abuse Ok.
wcp3rd All-Star Author New Jersey Posts:769 Points:383,000 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:55:01 PM Ignore wcp3rd Report Abuse OK
HA4CNN Champion Author Toronto Posts:5,765 Points:1,571,190 Joined:Dec 2006	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:54:30 PM Ignore HA4CNN Report Abuse The fuel of the future is natural gas but it has a lot less calories than any other fuel.
thomas41546 Champion Author Tennessee Posts:3,903 Points:2,285,390 Joined:Oct 2005	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:54:16 PM Ignore thomas41546 Report Abuse coal can be clean emmission if current standard are used when constructing.
30mpg80 Champion Author Lexington Posts:10,271 Points:1,515,555 Joined:Nov 2008	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:53:28 PM Ignore 30mpg80 Report Abuse Sure, natural gas is so much cheaper
sleuth696 Champion Author Ventura Posts:1,073 Points:230,165 Joined:Oct 2012	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:53:23 PM Ignore sleuth696 Report Abuse ok
DEG Champion Author Las Vegas Posts:17,750 Points:3,520,455 Joined:Jul 2003	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:53:11 PM Ignore DEG Report Abuse I would think that this has a lot to do with EPA regulations by the Obama administration to make coal use more expensive.
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,992 Points:441,265 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:53:09 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse The Cold War's over @wayoung56. No need to fear the commie pinkos anymore. Besides, I doubt you could still recognize one.
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,992 Points:441,265 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:50:05 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse Is Dayton prone to blackouts, @mstearno? If not then you have all the energy you need.
DarthDadJr Champion Author Virginia Posts:7,432 Points:1,546,645 Joined:Jul 2008	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:49:49 PM Ignore DarthDadJr Report Abuse Makes sense...the abundance of NG created by fracking has made coal plants costly to operate.
us4usa Champion Author Missouri Posts:6,125 Points:1,138,560 Joined:May 2008	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:49:19 PM Ignore us4usa Report Abuse Then we can export all of our coal to China to be burned in their coal plants and they can deal with all the air pollution, just hope it stays over there... Wonder what happens when the EPA/TreeHuggers shuts down Fracking???
Aviator_Rob Champion Author New York Posts:3,992 Points:441,265 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:49:01 PM Ignore Aviator_Rob Report Abuse I think @357revo doesn't want to believe in climate change because he secretly wants beachfront property in Pittsburgh.
pkrbkr Champion Author Wisconsin Posts:8,366 Points:1,742,055 Joined:May 2006	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:48:43 PM Ignore pkrbkr Report Abuse Shut down the EPA-not power plants!
vibdata Champion Author Massachusetts Posts:4,186 Points:867,210 Joined:Nov 2005	Message Posted: Jan 5, 2013 11:48:24 PM Ignore vibdata Report Abuse Boy oh boy. And I thought this was an article about 9000 retirements this year from a power company. Well, if this much power's going offline, I guess the people are too.