By Ryan Randazzo | The Arizona Republic
NV Energy Inc. hit Salt River Project with a surprise last week that could cost its customers millions: The Nevada utility announced a move away from using coal power, including possibly selling its share of the Navajo Generating Station near Page.
The Navajo plant’s future already is in question, with the Environmental Protection Agency proposing additional pollution controls that could cost its owners — and their utility customers — $600 million to $1.1 billion.
One of the six owners, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, is hustling to get out of the plant by 2015 by selling its stake to SRP. Should that deal go through, SRP customers already would be responsible for about half of the tab for the new pollution controls.
If NV Energy bails out on the plant, SRP and, possibly, other Arizona utilities could be forced to pay even more of the EPA’s proposed upgrades.
