EIA: US power plants could avoid retirement by 2026

The Department of Energy's Research arm stated on Monday that U.S. Power Plants scheduled to retire in?2026 may stay online for longer. This builds on a trend which began last year as electricity prices and usage reached record highs in certain parts of the nation.

According to the Energy Information Administration, 11 gigawatts worth of electricity-generating capacity was expected to close in the U.S. this year. The EIA's research shows that nearly 60% of this power is coal-fired and the rest is gas-fired.

The EIA stated that "the?plans" may be more flexible than usual due to recent policy changes delaying the?retirement of several coal plants. In 2025, less than half the amount of electricity-generating capacity that was scheduled to be retired for the year, or 4.6 gigawatts, will have been retired. This is the lowest number since 2008. These delayed retirements include peakers (used only when the demand is highest) and baseload power. The U.S. Department of Energy issued emergency orders to extend the operation of several large coal-fired power plants.

COAL IS RELAXED?BASELOAD, BUT HIGHLY POLLUTANT The DOE cited the concerns over power shortages in the grid to justify its decision to continue using power plants that were built as recently as the middle of last century.

The coal-fired power plant is generally regarded as a reliable, 24/7?power source. However, they are also more polluting compared to?most of the other forms?of electricity generation.

The J.H. Campbell in Michigan and Cumberland Plant in Tennessee were scheduled to close this year. The EIA warned that these closures could be delayed once again. (Reporting and editing by Barbara Lewis in New York, Laila Kearney)

(source: Reuters)