Gadsden Power plant to stop burning coal

Today is expected to be the last day coal is burned at Alabama Power’s Plant in Gadsden.

Federal environmental mandates are forcing the utility to switch to natural gas at the generating plant.

Alabama Power officials say “Federal environmental mandates are forcing the company to change how they generate electricity for their customers,” and said that “Retrofitting Plant Gadsden to meet new environmental standards on coal was not a cost-effective option for their customers.”

The bulk of power produced by Plant Gadsden goes directly to serve residential customers. Since 1994, Plant Gadsden also has supplied steam — crucial to tire-making — to the nearby Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., which is Plant Gadsden’s major industrial customer.