The Washington-based non-profit organization said this is in addition to an estimated 40,000MW of coal generation capacity that would be either closed down or converted to another fuel in the next few years.
The combined closure of 99,000MW capacity would represent approximately one third of the US coal generation output.
Retirement of these aging coal plants "would create an opportunity to accelerate our nation’s transition to a cleaner energy future," the report noted.
UCS energy analyst and the report’s co-author Jeff Deyette said that the majority of these aging plants could be closed and replaced with cleaner and affordable resources with appropriate planning.
"Every region in the country has the potential to more than replace retiring coal generation by ramping up underutilized natural gas plants, increasing renewable energy through existing state policies, and reducing demand through current energy efficiency programs," Deyette added.
UCS Midwest office director and the report’s co-author Steve Frenkel said, "Regulators should require utility companies to carefully consider whether ratepayers would be better off by retiring old coal plants and boosting electricity generation from natural gas and renewable energy sources like wind. Spending billions to upgrade old coal plants may simply be throwing good money after bad."
