The last two coal-fired power plants in New England are set to close by 2025 and 2028, marking the end of an era where this fossil fuel provided electricity to the region for over five decades.
The decision to shut down the Merrimack and Schiller stations, both located in New Hampshire, makes New England the second region in the country, after the Pacific Northwest, to eliminate coal usage.
Following their closure, the plants will be transformed into solar farms and battery units to store electricity generated from offshore wind turbines along the Atlantic Coast, as stated by the owner.
Environmentalists had been in a legal battle against these New Hampshire plants for five years, citing the discharge of warm water from steam turbines into a nearby river without proper cooling to match the natural temperature.
In a settlement reached on Wednesday with the Sierra Club and the Conservation Law Foundation, Granite Shore Power agreed that Schiller would cease operations by December 31, 2025, and Merrimack would close by June 2028.
Gina McCarthy, a former national climate adviser and senior adviser at Bloomberg Philanthropies, expressed pride in New England’s commitment to a clean energy future without compromising.
The two power plants in New Hampshire have been operating intermittently during peak periods in recent years.
Jim Andrews, the CEO of Granite Shore Power, emphasized the company’s commitment to transitioning away from coal towards a cleaner energy future despite occasional operation during extreme weather conditions.
Coal usage in the United States has significantly decreased due to the affordability of natural gas and renewable sources like wind and solar. Coal accounted for 17% of American electricity in 2023, with analysts predicting a sharp decline in the coal industry.
Coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel, contributed to 59% of carbon emissions from electricity in 2021, highlighting the urgency to shift to cleaner energy sources.
Climate activists employed various strategies, including legal action and market competition, to prompt the closure of coal plants and transition to renewable energy sources.
Efforts by the Conservation Law Foundation in New Hampshire successfully influenced the separation of the company owning the coal plants and utilities, leading to a transition away from coal in favor of more cost-effective and sustainable alternatives.
