Wisconsin PSC Backs Construction of Gas-Fired Plant
The post Wisconsin PSC Backs Construction of Gas-Fired Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.
Construction of a $ 700 million natural gas-fired power plant near the Wisconsin-Minnesota border was authorized by Wisconsin regulators on Jan. 16, over the objections of environmental groups who have said the plant is not needed.
Dairyland Power Cooperative and Minnesota Power would jointly own the 625-MW Nemadji Trail Energy Center, which on its current timeline is scheduled to come online in 2024. Wisconsin’s Public Service Commission (PSC) voted 2-1 on Thursday to allow the project to move forward. The utilities have said the plant would enable them to move away from coal-fired power and support their integration of wind and solar generation resources.
Several environmental groups oppose the plant, including the Sierra Club, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy. Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) also opposes the plant, citing local impacts such as loss of wetlands and depletion of groundwater.…
Deal Announced to Close Louisiana Coal Unit
The post Deal Announced to Close Louisiana Coal Unit appeared first on POWER Magazine.
The Arkansas Public Service Commission has approved a plan to retire the Dolet Hills power plant, a coal-fired unit in Mansfield, Louisiana that serves part of the state. The decision, reached in December and announced Jan. 8 by the Sierra Club, came as part of a settlement agreement in a recently concluded Arkansas rate review, according to Peter Main, a spokesman for Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO), which shares the plant’s electricity production with plant owner Central Louisiana Electric Co. (Cleco).
Said Main in a Jan. 9 email to POWER: “As part of a settlement agreement in the recently concluded Arkansas rate review, SWEPCO has agreed to seek regulatory approval to retire the Dolet Hills Power Plant by the end of 2026. SWEPCO has committed to make the necessary regulatory filings at least 12 months prior to the retirement date. Also as part of the settlement, the Sierra Club agrees to withdraw its pending challenges related to the Dolet Hills Power Plant in Texas and Louisiana.…