Friday 4 June 2021

PSEG Power becomes coal-free after retiring last coal plant

PSEG Power has become a coal-free company after retiring its last remaining coal-fired power plant in its generation fleet.

The Bridgeport Harbor Station Unit 3 (BHS 3) power station was shut down earlier this week as PSEG Power pursues a path towards net zero carbon emissions.

The company previously set a target to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2046, from 2005 levels, with a vision of net zero emissions by 2050, assuming advances in technology and public policy.

BHS 3 was originally designed to be fuelled with either oil or coal when placed in service in 1968 and was converted to a full-time coal unit in 2002.

It provided 400MW of peaking capacity to southern Connecticut, operating only when called upon during times of peak demand.

The unit was called upon to operate for just two days in 2020 and not at all in 2019, however, it ran for nearly two uninterrupted months to supply additional power to the grid during a stretch of unusually cold weather in January and February 2021.

Ralph Izzo, PSEG Chairman, President and CEO said: “The retirement of Bridgeport Harbor Station Unit 3 marks the end of an era for the City of Bridgeport and the citizens who relied on its power. I'm grateful to the generations of employees who operated this unit safely and reliably for more than 50 years and to the entire Bridgeport community for their support.

“For PSEG, the retirement of BHS 3 marks the end of our company's coal era, reflecting a nationwide trend toward the use of cleaner fuels to generate the electricity we need to power our lives. Newer, more economic and highly efficient power plants like BHS 5 will play a critical role in shrinking our carbon footprint as we address the challenges of climate change and help set Connecticut on a path toward its cleaner energy future.”