Polluting Power Plants Closing At Record Numbers, Leaving Concerns About Adequate Energy Supply
By Pat Loeb
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- The company that runs the region's power grid is worried about having enough energy to get through next winter. It's asking federal regulators to give some polluting plants, that were scheduled to close, a little more time in service.
PJM Interconnection says a record number of power plants will retire this spring, to comply with tougher emission standards, taking with them some 12,000 megawatts of electricity generation. There will also be a record number of new, cleaner plants going online but they're expected to generate just four-thousand megawatts.
PJM spokesman Ray Dotter says the resulting eight-thousand megawatt loss could cause problems.
"Given our record last January, during the polar vortex, when so many plants of all fuel types were unable to run, we want to make sure we have an extra cushion of supplies available," he says.
Dotter says the request is for a temporary, one-time delay in some of the shut-downs so PJM's 60-Million customers in 13 states, including Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey, can get through the winter with the heat on.
