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U.S. Coal-fired Generating Capacity Retirements in 2025 Are Less Than 20 Percent of Retirements in 2022

LCG, April 13, 2026--The EIA today released an "In-brief Analysis" of U.S. coal-fired generating capacity retirements in 2025. A highlight of the analysis is that, during 2025, the electric power sector retired 2.6 GW of coal-fired generating capacity at four power plants, which is (i) the least since 2010 and (ii) 5.9 GW less than the planned retirement of 8.5 GW at the beginning of 2025.

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EPA Proposes Rule Changes to Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) Requirements to Restore American Energy Dominance

LCG, April 10, 2026--The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced yesterday a rule proposing several revisions to the federal regulations governing the disposal of coal combustion residuals (CCR) and the beneficial use of CCR. The EPA designed the rule to encourage resource recovery, allow for site-specific considerations in permitting, and provide regulatory relief while continuing to protect human health and the environment. The EPA will be accepting comments on the rule for 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, and it will also hold an online public hearing on the rule.

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Industry News

SMUD May Cancel 1000 MW of New Generation

LCG, May 20, 2002-The Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) is considering canceling plans to build the Consumnes Power Plant.

The plans were to build the 1000 MW gas-burning plant next to out-of-commission Rancho Seco, using 8,000 acre-feet of water from the American River for cooling. The California Energy Commission questioned this water usage, preferring power plants to use reclaimed water or dry cooling methods over high-quality water when possible.

SMUD says that it would cost significantly more to build the Consumnes plant without the use of American River water. The steeper price tag decreases the chances of SMUD choosing to build the plant by 25 to 50 percent.

The first phase of building, to generate 500 MW, was scheduled to be operational in 2005 and would have cost $374 million to build. The second phase would have come on-line sometime around 2008. SMUD says that cooling the plant with sewage treatment plant water, 26 miles away, would cost $45 million extra in construction and $8 million in operation over 30 years. Air cooling would add $42 million in construction and $291 million in operation.

Apparently SMUD is fairly upset about the permitting process, and according to the Sacramento Bee, former SMUD chief and current chairman of the California Power Authority David Freeman said, "They're pretty angry; these folks are not in the habit of being regulated. It brings out the animal in them."

While the potential cancellation of this plant will not be seriously detrimental to the region, the pattern of delay is worrying some people because more generation or better transmission is necessary for grid stability in the Sacramento region. Two other area plant projects have also been delayed; they are the Roseville and Rio Linda-Elverta projects.

A SMUD report detailing options for the project is due in June.

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