In 2010, environmental advocates, elected officials and executives from TransAlta, a Canada-based electricity supplier, assembled a plan to close down Washington’s last remaining coal-burning power plant by the end of 2025.
The 15-year-long project acted as a benchmark of sorts for transitions of this kind – it included comprehensive financial support and educational opportunities for employees and their families.
It eventually lent itself to Washington’s clean energy goals passed in 2019, one of which declared that all state utilities must cease purchasing and using coal-powered energy by the end of 2025.
But late last month, right as the plant was on track to shut down its operations, the Department of Energy issued an emergency order, ruling that the plant must remain operational for another 90 days.
This posed many questions for the future of the plant, due to the long-term effort to close its doors and the lack of customers for coal-powered energy because of the Clean Energy Transformation Act.
The plant remains shut down despite the emergency order, but its future hangs in limbo. Joining us to discuss the details is Amanda Zhou, a climate and environment reporter at the Seattle Times.
“Think Out Loud®” broadcasts live at noon every day and rebroadcasts at 8 p.m.
If you’d like to comment on any of the topics in this show or suggest a topic of your own, please get in touch with us on Facebook, send an email to thinkoutloud@opb.org, or you can leave a voicemail for us at 503-293-1983.
