DoE's Office of Nuclear Energy released a Guide for Communities Exploring Coal-to-Nuclear Transitions on April 1, 2024 as an information guide for communities considering replacing their retired or retiring coal power plants with not only natural gas plants, but with nuclear power plants, large and SMRs.]
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Electric Generator
Report and Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory
Instead of discussing the coal to natural gas conversions, this guide is based on a recent technical study that emphasized transitioning from a coal plant to a nuclear power plant(s), either large nuclear plants or one (or more) of the coming SMRs. Both would create additional higher paying jobs at the plant, create hundreds of additional jobs locally, and spur millions of dollars in increased revenues and economic activity in the host community. Importantly, it also determined that, with planning and support for training, most workers at an existing coal plant should be able to transition to work at a replacement nuclear plant. The authors also concluded that coal-to-nuclear transitions could dramatically increase the supply of reliable, clean electricity to the expanding power grid and make progress toward the nation’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 [or at least a sigificant reduction in emissions].
“As we work to transition to a net-zero economy, it’s absolutely essential that we provide resources to energy communities and coal workers who have helped our nation’s energy system for decades,” said Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Dr. Kathryn Huff. “This is a core promise of the Biden-Harris Administration: to deliver place-based solutions and ensure an equitable energy transition that does not leave energy communities behind.”
This information guide builds on DOE’s 2022 study that found hundreds of U.S. coal power plant sites across the country could be converted to nuclear power plant sites. DOE’s information guide offers communities a high-level look at the economic impacts, workforce transition considerations, and policy and funding information relevant to a coal-to-nuclear transition. It also provides utilities a brief overview of considerations to be aware of such as power requirements, project scope and timeline, and infrastructure reuse.
Read more about DOE's work to support coal-to-nuclear transitions here. This information guide is a companion piece to DOE’s Stakeholder Guidebook for Coal-to-Nuclear Conversions. Readers can refer to this guidebook for an in-depth, technical analysis of topics covered in the information guide.
Fritsch reported in 2012 that of the operating U.S. coal-fired power plants, 28% plan to retire by 2035
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Preliminary Monthly Electric
Generator Inventory, September 2021
Although coal-fired power plants have no mandatory retirement age, power plant owners and operators have reported to EIA that they plan to retire 28%, or 59 gigawatts (GW), of the coal-fired capacity currently operating in the United States by 2035. As of September 2021, 212 GW of utility-scale coal-fired electric-generating capacity was operating in the United States, most of which was built in the 1970s and 1980s, according to the EIA's Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory.
The average operating coal-fired generating unit in the United States is 45 years old. The units that have reported plans to retire are not necessarily the oldest ones operating; some units built in the 1980s and 1990s are also scheduled to retire. When they retire, the retiring units will have approximately 50 years of service, based on their planned retirement dates.
Planned retirement dates for these plants were reported to us by power plant owners and operators. Planned retirement dates within the next four to five years are considered relatively firm; retirements further in the future are subject to more regulatory and economic uncertainty.
The Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory categorizes generating units that are installed and available to generate electricity as operating, regardless of how often they actually run during the year. The data also include a comprehensive list of coal-fired generators that have retired since 2002. Since 2002, around 100 GW of coal capacity has retired in the United States; the capacity-weighted average age at retirement was 50 years.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Preliminary Monthly Electric
Generator Inventory, September 2021
Coal plants usually aren’t built with a specific planned or enforced retirement age. Retirements largely occur either when the cost of operating a plant exceeds expected revenue or when operating costs exceed the plant’s value to the power system, such as its value in providing reliability to the electric grid. These situations can occur when lower-cost or more efficient technologies enter the market, when fuel prices change, or when new regulations require additional investment in the unit to remain in compliance.
Coal-fired plants in particular have been identified as a large source of CO2 emissions. As a result, many states with clean energy standards have required a reduction or complete phase-out of coal-fired generation, even though some units may still be economically viable. As a result of continued pressure on coal generation to reduce CO2 emissions, the number of coal plants planning to retire between now and 2035 is likely to increase.
As of September 2021, developers have not reported plans to install any new utility-scale coal-fired power plants in the United States, according to our Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory [but according to the technical news that should have been consulted, numerous companies, city utilities and power companies have begun the transition, i.e, see the I2M Web Portal (here).]
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