TransAlta Centralia is expected to begin operations generating power through burning natural gas by 2028 and cease all burning of fossil fuels by a state deadline of 2044.
The Washington state Department of Ecology released an announcement on Friday, July 31, that the state agency had reached an agreement with TransAlta for environmental mitigation, clearing the way for the Centralia plant to transition to a natural gas-burning power plant.
According to the announcement, as part of the agreement, TransAlta will be required to invest millions of dollars each year in Lewis and Thurston counties.
“Under an agreement with Ecology, TransAlta will invest between $7 million and $21 million in clean energy projects in Lewis and Thurston counties, based on the plant’s emissions each year,” reads the announcement.
The plant is also expected to operate as a “peaker plant” meaning power from TransAlta Centralia will be used as a backup for other power sources as needed.
As part of an environmental review and the process to establish a mitigation agreement with TransAlta, the state has opened a public comment period from now until Sept. 6. Members of the public are able to provide comments or even request a public hearing on the subject.
The announcement recognized that while the plant will cease burning coal and reduce coal related pollution, it will continue burning fossil fuels that contribute pollutants such as volatile organic compounds, which are often found in human-made chemicals and are common groundwater contaminants.
According to the Ecology announcement, the state expects overall statewide greenhouse gas emissions to drop while the local plant is used to support power needs.
“Transitioning our state’s only coal power plant to natural gas will ensure reliable power while we continue to develop renewable power sources,” Ecology Director Casey Sixkiller said. “Washington is committed to clean energy. TransAlta has worked with Ecology on the proposed expansion of their clean energy grant program associated with the continuation of operations.”
The TransAlta Centralia plant began burning coal in 1972 to generate power for the surrounding region and the state. In recent years, the plant has taken its two coal burning-furnaces offline in accordance with state mandates and regulations established in 2011.
One coal burning unit was officially retired in 2020 while the second and last unit was slated to be retired at the end of 2025.
Shortly before the expected retirement date in December of last year, TransAlta announced a transition to natural gas-burning power generation supported by a purchasing agreement with Puget Sound Energy.
Shortly after the announcement, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright issued an emergency order to keep the final coal burner in the plant operational. The federal government has issued two additional orders since then preventing the final burner from being retired. The order argues the operation of the coal-burning generator is necessary for the reliability of energy in the region.
