San Antonio is First in Texas to Close Coal Plant
A coal-fired power plant that has supplied electricity in San Antonio since the 1970s will be the first in Texas to shut down.  The move by San Antonio’s community-owned gas and electric company, CPS Energy, comes as many coal-fired plants nationwide face the prospect of stringent federal regulations on mercury and other emissions. The announcement to shut down the Deely plant in 2018 could pressure the state’s energy companies to focus their efforts on alternative power sources. The Deely facility was supposed to be retired in 2030, but to meet the anticipated environmental regulations, CPS Energy would have to install a $550 million “scrubber” — equipment that helps decrease emissions. The company decided the scrubber would not be a wise financial investment, opting instead to close the facility and put its money in newer forms of energy, including natural gas, “clean coal” and solar, CPS spokeswoman Lisa Lewis said . . . MORE