Due to lighter NOX-control rules issued by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), NRG Energy (NYSE: NRG) has withdrawn its plans to deactivate five coal units in the state.
Said NRG’s May 5 Form 10-Q report: “In December 2014, MDE proposed a regulation regarding NOx emissions from coal-fired electric generating units, which had it been finalized would have required by 2020 the Company (at each of the three Dickerson coal-fired units and the Chalk Point coal-fired unit that does not have an SCR) to either (1) install and operate an SCR; (2) retire the unit; or (3) convert the fuel source from coal to natural gas.
“In early 2015, the State of Maryland decided not to finalize the regulation as proposed. In November 2015, MDE finalized revised regulations to address future NOx reductions, which although more stringent than previous regulations, will not cause the Company to spend capital to comply. As a result of the new regulations, on February 29, 2016, NRG notified PJM that it was withdrawing the standing deactivation notices for Dickerson Units 1, 2 and 3 and Chalk Point Units 1 and 2.”
Dickerson Units 1-3 have capacities of 182 MW each, while Chalk Point Unit 1 is at 337 MW and Unit 2 is 341 MW.
