By Ryan Randazzo | The Arizona Republic
The Navajo Generating Station in northern Arizona could be forced to close one of its three generators, curtail its operations or find other creative ways to handle the departure of California and Nevada utilities.
Arizona utilities are determined to keep the coal-fired powerplant operating for the inexpensive electricity it generates and the critical role it plays in pumping almost half of metro Phoenix’s municipal water supply from the Colorado River via the Central Arizona Project canal.
But the plant faces a variety of obstacles, from environmental upgrades to a desire by some of the utilities that own it to shift away from coal power.
Late Monday, Nevada lawmakers approved a plan for that state’s primary utility to move away from coal-fired power plants and replace that electricity, most likely with natural gas burning plants and some renewable energy, such as solar.
NV Energy owns 11.3 percent of Navajo, and the plan would have the company out of the coal plant by 2019. It’s unclear what will happen with its share of the plant.
Also: Utility World is Beaming After Buffett’s Bid for NV Energy
