In Connecticut, the last remaining coal-fired power plant just received its death sentence. Five years from now it will be shut down; replaced by a cleaner natural gas power plant. The transition to cleaner energy represents a greater shift away from dirty power plants throughout New England, and is having a powerful effect on communities in the region.
What is happening in Connecticut, New England, and throughout the country represents the fruits of local and community action. The Bridgeport Harbor Station, for instance, had been a priority for local environmental, health, and civil rights groups. With the help of the state’s governor, Dannel P. Malloy, and local officials, the announcement was finally made that the dirty power plant would be shut down.
The actions by city, state and community leaders will have consequences that are sure to reverberate in communities throughout New England. These include better health conditions for residents, increased stable, well paying jobs, and more affordable energy bills for families. Find out how to leverage your resources and communicate about climate in your community by visiting Path to Positive Communities!
Connecticut's Last Coal-Fired Power Plant To Be Closed
By Gregory B Hladky | The Hartford Courant | February 15, 2016
Connecticut's last coal-fired power plant, Bridgeport Harbor Station, is scheduled to be closed by 2021 and replaced by a new cleaner-burning natural gas facility, according to the plant's owner, PSEG.
The gas-powered plant is expected to be in operation by 2019 and will be capable of producing 485 megawatts of electricity, company officials said Thursday. The Bridgeport plant is one of the few remaining coal-fired power-generating facilities in New England, and a gritty symbol for anyone driving by on Interstate 95 of the city's outdated industrial past.
Under an agreement between PSEG and Bridgeport city officials and community groups, the hulking, 47-year-old coal-burning plant would be permanently shut down by July 2021 as long as necessary permits for the new natural gas facility are in place.
