SALT LAKE CITY — Rocky Mountain Power filed a revised energy plan with state regulators, backing off of plans to shutter a pair of coal plants in southeastern Utah.
Part of the reason the Hunter and Huntington plants will remain going is recent court rulings on federal environmental regulations. Where Rocky Mountain Power originally slated both plants for closure in 2032, Hunter will close in 2036 and Huntington in 2042. "Those additional sites are no longer in our long range plan because we don’t know enough yet," Eskelsen said.
"We're excited about existing programs like the Community Renewable Energy Program to achieve net-100% renewable energy, and we'll continue to pressure lawmakers and PacifiCorp to prioritize our air quality and health over their bottom line." Tuddenham said she believes this combined with recent bills passed by the Utah State Legislature that support a continued reliance on coal will impact communities and ratepayers and not address problems facing the state as a result of climate change.
"We run this resource planning to try to come up with the best mix of resources and the price that customers pay is a part of that. The fact that here in Utah we enjoy some of the lowest rates in the country is testament to the success of that planning process," Eskelsen said.