The Concept of the Clean Coal Takes Another Hit

Clean Coal – See the Definition of Oxymoron

One of the many fables put out by Mitch McConnell and Donnie Trump was that the coal industry could be brought back to growth by using ‘clean coal technology to fuel power plants.  A technological disaster of epic proportions with regard to a ‘clean coal’ plant in Mississippi is putting one of the final nails in the concept.

A first-of-its-kind “clean coal” power plant that utility owner Southern Co.spent years constructing in Mississippi may end up burning no coal at all -- and instead just run like a natural gas generator.

After years of delays and billions of dollars in cost overruns, Mississippi regulators on Wednesday called on Southern to work up a deal that would have the Kemper plant, now estimated to cost about $7.5 billion, fueled only by gas. The state Public Service Commission said in a statement that it’s looking for a solution that eliminates the risk to ratepayers “for unproven technology,” which involved converting coal into gas that could then be used to generate electricity -- all while capturing emissions.

A first-of-its-kind “clean coal” power plant that utility owner Southern Co.spent years constructing in Mississippi may end up burning no coal at all -- and instead just run like a natural gas generator.

After years of delays and billions of dollars in cost overruns, Mississippi regulators on Wednesday called on Southern to work up a deal that would have the Kemper plant, now estimated to cost about $7.5 billion, fueled only by gas. The state Public Service Commission said in a statement that it’s looking for a solution that eliminates the risk to ratepayers “for unproven technology,” which involved converting coal into gas that could then be used to generate electricity -- all while capturing emissions.

Sorry folks, it just cannot happen, coal cannot be clean.  Reality bites.