Another nail in the coffin of the US economy.

[snowcat]

Two new EPA pollution regulations will slam the coal industry so hard that hundreds of thousands of jobs will be lost, and electric rates will skyrocket 11 percent to over 23 percent, according to a new study based on government data.

http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/was...t-energy-bills

[Uncle Ted]

http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/was...t-energy-bills

Good thing that Utah doesn't depend on coal for 5% of its power generation.

[Moliere]

http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/was...t-energy-bills

With natural gas at such low prices they should consider converting the coal plants to gas plants.

[NorthwestUteFan]

That 95% coal-derived stat is astounding, considering the proximity to and availability of significant natural gas resources in Utah/Wyoming/Colorado.

If these new clean air regs incorporate a SIGNIFICANT greasing of the regulatory wheels to allow the fasttracking of hundreds of new nuclear plants, it MAY turn out to be a good thing. If we can get 50-150 new nuc plants (plus 1000+ natural gas turbines) online within a decade we may survive this type of regulatory condition.

Don't bank on it though.

[NorthwestUteFan]

With natural gas at such low prices they should consider converting the coal plants to gas plants.

It is unbelievably expensive to run natural gas in coal plants. They would be better off installing some gas turbines on site.

[Moliere]

That 95% coal-derived stat is astounding, considering the proximity to and availability of significant natural gas resources in Utah/Wyoming/Colorado.

If these new clean air regs incorporate a SIGNIFICANT greasing of the regulatory wheels to allow the fasttracking of hundreds of new nuclear plants, it MAY turn out to be a good thing. If we can get 50-150 new nuc plants (plus 1000+ natural gas turbines) online within a decade we may survive this type of regulatory condition.

Don't bank on it though.

Theres probably plenty of supply of materials and engineers to build them given that Germany and maybe some other countries are truly to get totally out of nuclear power.

[NorthwestUteFan]

Many of America's biggest, most revolutionary scientific discoveries came from German scientists so this won't be any different.

Obtaining a site permit and operating license for a nuclear plant in America is a multi-decade process, unfortunately.

[YOhio]

Obtaining a site permit and operating license for a nuclear plant in America is a multi-decade process, unfortunately.

Have you heard much about the proposed nuclear plant in Green River? They've been on the process for about three years now and, assuming all goes well, it won't be operational until 2021.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/7...r-debated.html

[Jarid in Cedar]

Have you heard much about the proposed nuclear plant in Green River? They've been on the process for about three years now and, assuming all goes well, it won't be operational until 2021.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/7...r-debated.html

They had a nice article on this in the Sun Advocate

[snowcat]

Good thing that Utah doesn't depend on coal for 5% of its power generation.

Texas has the political clout to get their plants exempted.

The huge savings by Texas utility Energy Future Holdings, owned by Kravis' KKR and Bonderman's TPG Capital, is tied to the EPA proposal which exempts lignite coal-fired plants, like those run by EFH from having to spend money to reduce pollution levels at the plants.

The EPA in setting mercury standards is putting lignite coal in a different category than other coal.

EFH will save $1 billion by not needing to meet tougher standards applied to other coal-fired plants, sources said.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/busines...6nG6rM8iw14rDJ

[Moliere]

Texas has the political clout to get their plants exempted.



http://www.nypost.com/p/news/busines...6nG6rM8iw14rDJ

Given EFH's financial condition they are lucky they don't have to spend the money. The legal hoops they had to jump through to secure financing for Oncor (a subsidiary) were crazy.

[RobinFinderson]

So, what is everyone going to do when the economy completely tanks and your money is no longer worth anything? How are you all going to spend your time? I'm going to do a lot more gardening.

[landpoke]

So, what is everyone going to do when the economy completely tanks and your money is no longer worth anything? How are you all going to spend your time? I'm going to do a lot more gardening.

I'm going to work on my marksmanship. I figure it'll come in handy when we're inundated by starving refugees from the various coasts and inland urban areas.

[NorthwestUteFan]

I'm going to work on my marksmanship. I figure it'll come in handy when we're inundated by starving refugees from the various coasts and inland urban areas.

Double tap. Always double tap.

[NorthwestUteFan]

So, what is everyone going to do when the economy completely tanks and your money is no longer worth anything? How are you all going to spend your time? I'm going to do a lot more gardening.

Now that is an interesting thought. I always wondered why people would put away 2-3 years worth of food storage.

If the SHTF so badly that we have to eat up one year worth of food supply, I had damn well better grow/trap/catch/hunt some food for the next season. Starting with tilling under my back yard to plant crops.