TVA closing eight coal burners in Kentucky and Alabama, converting two to natural gas

"The Tennessee Valley Authority, one of the nation’s five biggest users of coal for electricity generation, said Thursday it would close down eight coal-fired power units with 3,300 megawatts of capacity," Steven Mufson reports for The Washington Post. Closures include "all five coal-burning units at the Colbert plant in Tuscumbia, Ala., one of two remaining units at the Widows Creek plant in Stevenson, Ala., and two of three units at the Paradise plant in Drakesboro, Ky.," Travis Loller reports for The Associated Press. More reductions are expected in the next few years. (Photo by Valley Watch: Paradise plant on Green River in Muhlenberg County)

"The Kentucky units will be replaced by a natural gas plant, but more than 200 of the 400 jobs there will be affected," Loller reports. CEO Bill Johnson said the changes are needed because power demand is down and environmental regulations are becoming stricter." Johnson said TVA hopes to "reduce coal to just 20 percent of the utility's portfolio over the next decade. It currently stands at 38 percent." (Read more)

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who is seeking re-election, lobbied to keep the Paradise plant's three coal burners going. Johnson told Mufson, “Senator McConnell did what his constituents would expect him to, advocate on their behalf and on behalf of their state. . . . Our objective is to make the best decision for the entire region, and that’s what we did.” (Read more) McConnell's office emphasized that the plant at Paradise, site of John Prine's famous song, will stay open and one unit will keep burning coal.