Grace Nolan, grace@team-arc.com
ARIZONA — Today, the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District (SRP) Board of Directors voted to convert its Springerville Generating Station Unit 4 from coal to gas by 2029. Ending coal-fired operations will create cost savings for ratepayers while reducing air pollution and water use.
The Sierra Club is glad that SRP has decided to end coal operations at Springerville Unit 4 by 2029. However, Sierra Club raised concerns in comments about SRP’s plans to convert the unit to gas instead of clean energy. In comments submitted last Friday, the Sierra Club urged SRP to fully evaluate other options for the replacement of the coal plant, including battery storage and paired renewables like solar, before making a final decision. While SRP did consider one battery storage replacement option for the unit, Sierra Club’s comments explained that SRP’s analysis was flawed, and may have overstated the costs of battery storage while understating the costs and emissions of gas. Replacing the unit with storage and renewables would better protect public health, curb climate pollution, and deliver long-term savings to customers.
Ylenia Aguilar, Senior Organizer for Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign in Arizona, released the following statement:
“We are glad to see SRP will end the burning of dangerous coal at this plant by 2029. Ending the burning of coal at Springerville Unit 4 will save lives, protect our communities, and improve public health. However, SRP should have given more consideration to replacing the plant with battery storage and clean energy before finalizing its plan to convert the plant from coal to gas.
We are already experiencing devastation caused by climate change – extreme heat, severe droughts, and horrific wildfires. Unfortunately, converting the unit to gas will lock Arizonans into decades more of fossil fuel pollution, high costs, and worsening climate impacts.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, 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.