Why Xcel Energy Might Not Meet Its Cleaner-Air Goals
While Xcel Energy hit a new 52-week high in trading yesterday, it encountered a few lows in its relationship with the state of Colorado. That's because Xcel's $1.3 billion plan to shut down some coal-fired plants won't meet pollution-cutting goals or a 2017 deadline as promised, reports The Denver Post. Xcel wants to keep Denver's Cherokee 4 plant running until 2022 and has the support of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission in asking state public health officials if a "truncated" plan, in which the plant remains open, would meet goals.
The short answer is "no," says the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
"The Department does not believe that the truncated plan will meet all reasonably foreseeable air pollution requirements," the agency writes in a commission filing.
That puts the participating agencies in a "standoff," writes the Denver Business Journal, because state health department officials must approve the plan before the PUC can sign off. Xcel says it can't hasten the closure of the Cherokee 4 coal unit, as it lacks room to tear down the three other coal units while constructing two new natural-gas plants.
I think they have no choice
I think they have no choice but to perform the closure over a period of time, instead of abruptly doing all of it at once. Since, there is a lack of room to do the tearing down which is beyond their control, that is the only way out. Or perhaps the plants could remain open but a control could be placed on the emissions or on the number of activities in the plant. This, way both parties are at a win-win situation whereby the plants can remain open while meeting the cleaner-air goals.