Sean Sarah, sean.sarah@sierraclub.org
Susannah Randolph, susannah.randolph@sierraclub.org
Tampa Electric to phase out two coal burning units
at Big Bend Power Station
One unit will retire, another replaced with dangerous, fracked gas
TAMPA BAY, FLA.—Tampa Electric today announced plans to retire Unit 2 of its coal-burning units at its Big Bend Power Station and repower Unit 1 with fracked gas by 2021.
Ending coal burning at these two units will allow Hillsborough County residents to breathe a bit easier in a community that has some of the worst air quality in Florida. Hillsborough is the only county that has earned an “F” grade from the American Lung Association of Florida several years in a row, last year included.
Taking unit 2 at Big Bend off the grid— 446 megawatts— opens up the opportunity for Tampa Electric (TECO) to invest further in Florida’s booming solar economy, rather than continuing to sink customers’ money into expensive, dangerous fossil fuels. Unfortunately, TECO currently plans to replace its toxic coal Unit 1 with dangerous fracked gas which will continue to pollute the community and contribute to Florida’s severe climate change challenge.
Sierra Club is still reviewing TECO’s filing of its 2018 Ten Year Site Plan to assess the overall contribution towards moving to a clean energy future. While the retirement of Unit 2 is a step in the right direction, Sierra Club is working to ensure that the retirement won’t result in an uptick of carbon emissions from increased coal burning at remaining units and fracked gas development.
TECO knows the value of solar power, having last fall announced plans to add 6 million solar panels in 10 new projects across its service territory in West Central Florida. In total, TECO plans to install enough solar energy to power more than 100,000 homes, and should continue on this clean, sustainable path, rather than doubling down on toxic fossil fuels.
In response to today’s announcement, Susannah Randolph, Senior Representative for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal campaign in Florida, issued the following statement:
“Retiring Big Bend’s Unit 2 is a step in the right direction for the people of Hillsborough County, for our environment and for our air—and in the wake of the most devastating hurricane season in history, phasing out Florida’s dependence on climate-disrupting fossil fuels is critical and long overdue.
“While TECO has recently announced a robust solar project, it is important that the company understands that fracked gas has no place in a clean energy future—especially not in the Sunshine State, and we expect to make that case in all applicable regulatory venues.”
“But, as our nation and the world make the inevitable shift to an economy fully powered by clean energy, we also stand ready to support TECO in any forthcoming efforts to ramp up modern, safe, low-cost renewable energy technologies in a way that will benefit workers and our local communities.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.