Indiana Utility Says It Will Phase Out Coal
David Wagman | November 01, 2018Indiana utility NIPSCO says it will phase out its use of coal to generate electricity over the next 10 years. It plans to replace the roughly 1,800 megawatts (MW) of generating capacity with solar and wind energy resources combined with battery energy storage.
As part of its “Your Energy, Your Future” initiative filed with state regulators, the utility said that it will retire Units 14, 15, 17 and 18 at the R.M. Schahfer Generating Station in Wheatfield, Indiana, no later than 2023. It also will retire Unit 12 at the Michigan City Generating station in Michigan City, Indiana by 2028.
Operation of NIPSCO’s existing natural gas-fired Sugar Creek Generating Station in West Terre Haute, Indiana, and the Norway and Oakdale hydroelectric dams along the Tippecanoe River will continue.
The utility said that the timeline to retire the generating units is faster than indicated in its last integrated resources plan. It said that the energy market now offers “more competitive and cost-effective options” for NIPSCO customers.
Michigan City Unit 12 is a 469 MW unit that entered service in 1974. Schahfer Unit 14 has 431 MW of generating capacity and entered service in 1976. Unit 15 has 472 MW of generating capacity and entered service in 1979. Unit 17 has 361 MW of generating capacity and entered service in 1983. And Unit 18 has 361 MW of capacity and entered service in 1986.