Oregon Public Broadcasting

Washington state regulators have put a big new power plant on ice.  It’s the first time in the Northwest that a project has been frozen because of global warming concerns.  Correspondent Tom Banse reports.

The utility consortium Energy Northwest wants to fuel the planned power plant with coal or petroleum coke, and therein lies the problem.

State regulators announced they’ll sit on the permit until the developers detail how they’ll capture the relatively high levels of global warming pollution it would produce.

Environmental lawyer Jan Hasselman of the firm Earthjustice calls it a landmark decision.

Jan Hasselman: “I think the days of proposing and building new coal fired power plants are – or should be – numbered.  If we keep acting like dinosaurs I think we’re going to be likely to follow their fate.”

The developer Energy Northwest argues its proposed plant in Kalama on the Columbia River would provide reliable, affordable electricity that the region is going to need.

The consortium offered to buy carbon offsets, but was refused.  A utility spokesman says “the ink is not yet dry on this one.”

Online:

Washington State Energy Facilities Review Panel