Edison Seeking to Keep Power Plant Operating
An aging coal-burning electricity plant near the Colorado River is too important to Southern California’s power supply to be shut down Dec. 31, the generating station operator told regulators.
Southern California Edison Co. asked the California Public Utilities Commission to support keeping the 35-year-old Mohave Generating Station open while it installs pollution-control equipment required under a 1999 federal court agreement.
“The recent sharp run-up in natural-gas prices ... has underscored the high importance and value of Mohave,” Edison said in written testimony filed Sept. 26 with the utilities commission.
Edison said California state officials were concerned about the effect of shutting down a reliable supply of power, and cited “improved prospects” for an agreement that would allow the generating station to remain open while required pollution controls were installed.
The 1999 court order in a lawsuit by three environmental groups requires the Laughlin plant to shut down at least temporarily if the equipment isn’t installed by the end of this year.
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