Johanna Neumann
Senior Director, Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy, Environment America Research & Policy Center
STATEMENT: New England’s last coal-fired power plant slated for closure
Media Contacts
BOSTON — Today, Granite Shore Power, the operator of New England’s last coal-fired power plant, announced that it plans to cease operations at Merrimack Station, the last operating coal-fired power plant in New England, by 2028. The company also announced plans to stop operating Schiller Station in Portsmouth, NH. Merrimack began operation in the 1960s and Schiller in the 1950s.
Citing the availability of incentives for clean energy technologies in the Inflation Reduction Act, the company plans to repurpose both sites for solar, energy storage and other clean energy technologies.
In response, Johanna Neumann, senior director of Environment America Research & Policy Center’s Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy, issued the following statement:
“Thanks to today’s announcement, everyone in New England will finally be able to breathe a little easier. Merrimack Station’s soot and smog have polluted our region’s air since the 1960s. Today’s announcement marks an end to the chapter of burning coal to produce electricity in New England.
New England has abundant renewable energy resources. Repurposing the Merrimack and Schiller sites to harvest and store solar and wind power will help the region reach its renewable energy potential.