Arizona Public Service Co. plans to close one of the four generators at northern Arizona’s Cholla Power Plant, adding to a string of coal-plant closures in the West.
Ryan Randazzo, The Arizona Republic reports that under a proposal APS is discussing with the Environmental Protection Agency, the No. 2 unit at the plant would close in 2016, and the No. 1 and 3 units could convert to natural gas or close in 2025 when the plant’s coal contract expires.
In 2010 the EPA notified the utility that Cholla’s No. 2 unit would need new pollution controls to limit mercury, then in 2012 proposed additional pollution controls on the No. 2, 3 and 4 units to limit nitrogen-oxide emissions that contribute to haze. It’s going to be cheaper to shut No. 2 and convert Nos. 1 and 3 to natural gas than spend an estimated $350 million on pollution controls, said
Ann Becker, APS vice president of environmental and chief sustainability officer.
The EPA and Arizona Corporation Commission must approve the plan.
