Thor Nelson is quoted in a WyoFile article titled “Old plants, new ideas: Who might buy a retired coal power unit?” published online November 19, 2019.
The Legislature is tweaking public utility regulations to encourage new buyers to prolong the life of aging Wyoming coal-fired power units that PacifiCorp has slated for early retirement.
While the legislation’s potential impacts on utilities and communities has been a major point of discussion since it passed earlier this year, less has been made about who, exactly, would be lined up to purchase the units in question.
“One of the things that we believe is the utilities don’t necessarily have the monopoly on creativity,” Nelson said. “I think there is an interest on the part of the membership to have the opportunity to buy power from whoever purchases the plant.”
“From WIEC’s perspective,” Nelson said, “we think creating the market opportunity is advantageous. But whether that opportunity would come to fruition, of course, cannot be predicted with any certainty.”
To read the full article, click here.