Tagged: Coal

A new study from Duke University says new air quality standards could spur a shift away from coal power to natural gas as a means of generating electricity.  A natural gas boom has already made it almost as cheap as coal to turn into electricity, but when researchers factored in new emissions standards from the Environmental Protection Agency, they found that most coal electricity will become as expensive as gas, even if gas prices rise.

Progress Energy will close one of its older coal-fired plants tomorrow.

Officials with the Duke Energy subsidiary say the Lee plant near Goldsboro is one of four coal plants it will retire by the end of next year. The company will replace each of them with natural gas facilities designed to cut back on environmental emissions. Progress Energy spokesman Mike Hughes says it's part of a fleet modernization program begun three years ago.

Emissions of toxic mercury from North Carolina coal-fired power plants have dropped significantly in the last decade.

Jeff Tiberii: In 2002 the General Assembly enacted the Clean Smokestack Act, aimed at cutting emissions. The North Carolina Division of Air Quality says the result is a 70-percent drop in toxic mercury entering the atmosphere. Tom Mather is with the division.

A settlement between the Environmental Protection Agency and the Tennessee Valley Authority includes a payment to North Carolina. The TVA agreed to implement better emissions technology at all of its coal-fired plants including the four closest to North Carolina. Attorney General Roy Cooper filed a lawsuit against the TVA in 2006.