N.J.’s last two coal plants set to close. ‘A world without coal’ is cleaner, safer, Murphy says.

Authored by nj.com and submitted by tta2013

The era of power plants using coal to generate electricity is ending in New Jersey.

The last two remaining coal-fired plants in the Garden State — both in South Jersey — are preparing to cease operation within months, Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration announced last week.

Murphy called the move a “very good step in the right direction” as the state continues to shift away from fossil fuels and toward renewable, or greener, energy sources. The Democratic governor has set a goal of using only carbon-free — or “clean” — energy sources by 2050.

“A world without coal is a cleaner, safer world,” Murphy said Thursday during a television interview with News 12. “And when you’re the most densely populated state in America, as we are, that is doubly true.”

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The Atlantic City Electric Company filed a petition to buy out existing power-purchase agreements and end coal generation at its Logan Plant in Swedesboro and the Chambers plant in Carneys Point on or around May 31. The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved the petition Wednesday.

Exelon Corp., the company that owns the facilities, said the move could save customers as much as $30 million.

“The modified agreements are great news for the residents of New Jersey because at long last, we are ending coal generation in our state,” BPU President Joseph Fiordaliso said.

Asked what will happen to workers at the two plants, Murphy said the state wants to “make sure we can repot them as quickly and as responsibly as possible.”

Various other coal plants in New Jersey have closed in recent years. PSE&G shuttered facilities in Hamilton and Jersey City in 2017. The B.L. England plant in Upper Township ceased operation in 2019.

The U.S. and other countries in general have been moving away from coal the last few decades. The use of coal to generate electricity in America dropped in half between 2005 and 2019, according to he U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Experts say coal is a particularly expensive and “dirty” fossil fuel, producing much more air pollution than other sources.

Anjuli Ramos, director of the New Jersey chapter of environmental group the Sierra Club, told NJ Advance Media on Thursday that New Jersey phasing out coal is a “significant move.”

But Ramos said the “natural next step” has to be replacing coal generation with renewable energy, and it’s unclear if that will happen.

Murphy has routinely promised to improve New Jersey’s environment to battle climate change. In early 2020, he unveiled an energy master plan to wean the state “off its century-old addiction to fossil fuels.” He has also returned New Jersey to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, increased the number of wind farms in the state, and signed laws to boost solar energy and electric vehicles in the state.

Murphy said Thursday there is now a “mix of energy sources” in New Jersey — including natural gas, nuclear, wind, solar. But that mix “constantly shifts.”

“The mix today and the mix 10 years from now will be dramatically different,” the governor said.

Still, some environmentalists have criticized Murphy for not doing enough. In January, a coalition of environmentalists went to court to force the governor’s administration to take more action to reduce greenhouse gases and combat climate change in New Jersey.

At the same time, Republicans have warned Murphy’s energy master plan will drive up costs on the state’s residents and have complained he hasn’t put a clear price tag on it.

The BPU held its first hearing to solicit public input on the possible cost Friday, more than two years after Murphy unveiled the plan.

“Although I am pleased the BPU is finally looking into this, I’m astounded that it took more than two years to do so,” state Senate Minority Leader Steven Oroho, R-Sussex, said.

Added state Sen. Anthony Bucco, R-Morris: “I don’t think anyone is against New Jersey utilizing renewable energy sources. The problem is that the Governor wants to mandate an aggressive energy plan that gives little consideration to the crushing costs upon seniors, low income families and the middle class, leaving fewer dollars for retirement, a needed car repair, or college savings for their kids.”

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Brent Johnson may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him at @johnsb01.

str85 on March 28th, 2022 at 20:11 UTC »

Random tangent; I find it funny how so many people are afraid of nuclear power that is more or less the safest form of energy we have compaired to the output. Coal is the most dangerous of them all and people as till aren't afraid of it.

DigitalSteven1 on March 28th, 2022 at 19:41 UTC »

Nuclear energy is safer, more efficient, and creates less radioactive waste pollution than coal plants... so I mean, yeah... Imagine that, coal distributes more radioactive waste than nuclear plants of the same size...

The public is conditioned to hate nuclear power, but it's literally the best power we can have.

https://www.epa.gov/radtown/radioactive-wastes-coal-fired-power-plants

https://www.ornl.gov/sites/default/files/ORNL%20Review%20v26n3-4%201993.pdf

If you want it in an easily digestible video format: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aUODXeAM-k

oldcreaker on March 28th, 2022 at 17:08 UTC »

Coal will always be there if we ever need it. But at this point in time, we don't.