Unique decade-old deal aims to help coal town in Washington state plan for and deal with plant's closure

Centralia, Washington, in Lewis County.
(Wikipedia map)

Later this year, the coal plant that has provided jobs for decades in a rural Washington state town will begin the years-long process of shutting down. But Centralia, a town of 16,336 halfway between Seattle and Portland, is better-prepared than many coal towns that lose their plants.

"A one-of-a-kind deal struck by lawmakers, environmentalists, local leaders and the power plant owner — Canada-based TransAlta — in 2011 gave Centralia more than a decade to prepare for the plant closure. It requires TransAlta to provide $55 million for economic development, support for displaced workers, energy technology and energy efficiency," Alex Brown and Sophie Quinton report for Stateline. "The money is given out via grants overseen by a board comprised of company and local leaders. It’s one of the largest investments to date to help a coal community adjust, but its proponents acknowledge that it won’t make the transition painless."

As coal plants in other states increasingly shut down, Centralia's transition will be one to watch. Click here for an interactive map that shows coal plants all over the U.S. that are retired, still operating, or are planned to retire.