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Wisconsin Co-op Will Close Coal-Fired Plant

January 26, 2020

The post Wisconsin Co-op Will Close Coal-Fired Plant appeared first on POWER Magazine.

Wisconsin-based Dairyland Power Cooperative on Jan. 23 said it would close its 345-MW coal-fired Genoa Station No. 3 by year-end 2021. The move comes as the La Crosse-based utility continues to phase out coal-fired power generation while it develops a new, $ 700-million natural gas-fired plant, and ramps up its use of renewable power sources.

The Genoa plant has operated for nearly 51 years. Dairyland said the plant employs about 80 workers.

“Our employees are Dairyland’s most valued resource,” said Dairyland CEO Barbara Nick in a statement. “As we made this difficult decision, we did so with a deep appreciation for the contributions of our employees who have dedicated their talents and energy to help us deliver on our mission to our members.”

The supercritical Genoa facility, which was brought online in June 1969, was designed to be highly efficient and uses low-sulfur coal from the Powder River Basin, delivered by barge.…

Wisconsin PSC Backs Construction of Gas-Fired Plant

January 18, 2020

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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.…

UAE Set to Start First Nuclear Plant; Sweden, Germany Shut Units

January 2, 2020

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The first nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reportedly will come online in early 2020. The report comes one day after Sweden on Dec. 30 shut down one of four reactors at the nation’s largest nuclear plant, closing Unit 2 at the Ringhals facility after more than 40 years of operation.

Germany also shut down the Philippsburg nuclear plant on Tuesday, part of that country’s planned phase-out of nuclear power by year-end 2022. The plant’s operating license was set to expire at midnight Central European Time on Tuesday.

The Al-Ittihad newspaper on Dec. 31 said one unit of the $ 24.4 billion Barakah plant in the UAE will enter commercial operation in the first quarter of 2020, and testing on a second reactor is set to begin soon, according to information from the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp. (ENEC). The ENEC has said it is nearing issuance of an operating license for the first reactor.…

Minnesota Court Blocks Construction of Gas-Fired Plant

December 24, 2019

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A Minnesota court on Dec. 23 said a proposed natural gas-fired power plant in neighboring Wisconsin needs more environmental review before construction can proceed, reversing an earlier decision by the state’s Public Utilities Commission that approved the facility.

The state Court of Appeals on Monday said state regulators must look at whether the Nemadji Trail Energy Center in Superior, Wisconsin, which was approved by the PUC in October 2018 and would have a generation capacity of 525 to 625 MW, would have “significant environmental effects” on the surrounding area. The court’s ruling means the PUC must conduct another review of the plant.

Minnesota Power, a utility division of Midwestern energy company ALLETE and headquartered in Duluth, and La Crosse, Wisconsin-based Dairyland Power Cooperative want to build the proposed $ 700 million Nemadji Trail plant on land between the Nemadjij River and Enbridge Energy’s Superior terminal, near Lake Superior at the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin.…

Ownership Shakeup at Colstrip Coal Power Plant

December 14, 2019

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NorthWestern Energy said it will file an application with the Montana Public Service Commission for pre-approval to acquire Puget Sound Energy’s (PSE’s) 25% interest in Colstrip Unit 4, which is a 740-MW coal-fired boiler. The price? $ 1.

“Securing more capacity for only a $ 1 investment is a unique opportunity that helps give us the time to continue transitioning to an even cleaner energy future without putting either our customers’ safety or their ability to pay their energy bills at risk,” Bob Rowe, president and CEO of Sioux Falls, South Dakota-headquartered NorthWestern Energy, said in a statement.

NorthWestern Energy serves electric and natural gas customers in three states: Montana, Nebraska, and South Dakota. In what appeared to be an effort to fend off criticism for adding more coal-fired generation to its portfolio, NorthWestern also announced it is committing to reduce carbon intensity of its energy generation in Montana by 90% by 2045.…

Last New York Coal Plant Set to Close

November 24, 2019

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The last operating coal-fired power plant in New York state could close by mid-February. Somerset Operating Co. on Nov. 15 asked the New York State Public Service Commission to waive the state’s 180-day notice requirement to shutter the 675-MW plant, asking regulators to allow the facility to close as early as Feb. 15, 2020.

Somerset in a news release Monday said it is retiring the plant due to stricter state emissions regulations, and also said poor economics led to its decision. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and state regulators earlier this year adopted rules to further reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, designed to end coal-fired power generation in the state by year-end 2020. The state also has set a goal of 100% carbon-free energy by 2040.

Owner Plans Data Center at Site

The plant’s owner, Riesling Power LLC, has proposed building a $ 550 million data center on the 1,800-acre site of the Somerset plant, located on the shore of Lake Ontario in Niagara County.…