New England Ditches Coal to Become the 16th State to Go Green

New England is going fully green after a big announcement that will make environmentalists happy.

New England Bids Farewell to Fossil Fuels

New England is saying goodbye to its last coal-fired power plant. Granite Shore Power has announced it’s shutting down the Merrimack Station in New Hampshire by June 2028 – a move that comes after years of protests and lawsuits against the plant.

From Coal to Solar

This plant has been a high priority for environmentalists but will be replaced with New Hampshire’s very first renewable energy park packed with solar panels and battery storage.

Double Whammy

But that’s not all – Granite Shore Power is also planning to close Schiller Station in Portsmouth by December 2025.

New England Joins the Clean Energy Club

This plant hasn’t been in use for a while but was given free rein to run on coal, oil, and biomass. Its closure marks another step forward for America’s green energy agenda.

Milestone Moment

New England will be officially coal-free once these plants close – part of a small but growing group of regions.

Merrimack’s Murky Past

The Merrimack Station, a 460-megawatt powerhouse, has seen through years of heavy criticism. Environmental groups claimed it was pulling in about 287 million gallons of water daily from the Merrimack River, heating it up, and then dumping it back into the river at scalding temperatures – a violation of the Clean Water Act.

Activists Make Waves

Climate activists made headlines by staging protests at the plant, even paddling kayaks down the river to get arrested on site.

New Hampshire Joins the Coal-Free States

Now that the plant is closing, New Hampshire will be the 16th state in the U.S. to go coal-free – with New England being the second coal-free region in the country.

Natural Gas

While that sounds great, the region isn’t a net zero hero just yet – most of the region’s power still comes from natural gas. This is a mixed blessing because while natural gas is less polluting than coal, it still emits methane, one of the major greenhouse gasses and a huge contributor to global warming.

Symbolic Victory or Real Progress?

For many, the plant’s closure is purely symbolic. New England has never been a major player in the coal market, and its coal use has dwindled since 2017 after a key Massachusetts coal plant closed.

The Sleeping Giants

In truth, one of Granite Shore Power’s coal plants hasn’t been operational since 2020, and the other only runs a handful of days each year during extreme weather when power demand peaks.

Power Puzzles

But then, what does this mean for New England’s power future? The region is grappling with a tricky question: how do you keep the lights on when demand spikes? Pollution-heavy power plants have traditionally handled the job during high-demand periods, but finding cleaner alternatives is tough.

The Natural Gas Tightrope

The region’s energy grid relies heavily on natural gas, and its pipeline capacity is pretty limited – especially in winter.

Megawatt Exodus

With four major power plants and the two coal plants closing by 2028, New England will lose around 3,000 megawatts of power capacity over the next four years. That’s about 10% of the region’s total power generation.

Canadian Power to the Rescue

Fortunately, there are some promising projects in the works. A new transmission line that will bring around 1200 megawatts of hydropower from Canada is back on track after a pause due to legal issues. 

Winds of Change

Plus, two major offshore wind projects are finally moving forward, which should add 1,500 megawatts to the grid.

Perfect Timing for New England

Offshore wind is a great fit for New England because the North Atlantic winds blow strongest in winter when the region needs power the most.

Power Predicament

However, there’s a catch that could spell out power shortages in the future. ISO New England, the regional grid operator, says there’s enough power to keep things running smoothly through 2032 if everything goes to plan.

The 2032 Deadline

But this depends on whether all the promised renewable projects come online and if the new transmission line from Canada is completed.

An Electrifying Future

And there’s another factor to consider: the rise of electric vehicles and home heat pumps is expected to boost power demand by 17% over the next 10 years. That means New England will need even more reliable clean energy sources to meet this growing demand.

Battery Boost

While New England isn’t yet a leader in energy storage, like states with lots of solar energy, there’s a growing interest in this area. The new renewable energy park at Merrimack Station is a step in the right direction, but balancing reliable power with sustainability will be a tough job.

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