Old Missouri Coal Plant Neared Retirement; Now It's Needed to Avert Blackouts

[mahatmakanejeeves]

BUSINESS

Old Missouri Coal Plant Neared Retirement; Now It’s Needed to Avert Blackouts

Grid operator likely needs Ameren’s Rush Island generator as insurance to keep the lights on

By Katherine Blunt
https://twitter.com/KatherineBlunt
[e-mail]
Updated June 10, 2022 12:36 pm ET

An aging, polluting coal power plant in Missouri was headed for retirement this year. But because the region’s grid operator needs the plant’s electricity to reduce the risk of blackouts, it likely will keep running for several years longer.

The push to delay the closure of the Rush Island power plant, a 46-year-old generator south of St. Louis owned by Ameren Corp., AEE -0.78%▼ shows the difficult decisions that utilities and power grid officials face as projected electricity shortages threaten many parts of the U.S.

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[Sandy Becker]

1. This is just one instance.

In spite of everything, we are still very dependent on coal.

Even here in Illinois, where we get good marks for wind power on the grid in rural areas.

[NNadir]

2. It's the dirty not-so-secret secret of the wind industry. It's wholly dependent on fossil fuels.

[Calculating]

3. If only we had a clean and carbon free base load option that didn't rely on sun and wind

Like Nuclear...Oh wait.