New England's Last Two Coal Plants to Close by 2028, Marking Shift to Renewables

• New England's last two coal power plants, Schiller Station and Merrimack Station, will close in 2025 and 2028 respectively, making the region coal-free.

• Environmental groups pushed for the closures due to health and environmental concerns like air and water pollution. The sites will be redeveloped into solar and energy storage.

• Together the plants have a capacity of 560 megawatts, providing power to hundreds of thousands of homes. They have been used less lately as renewable energy expands.

• Granite Shore Power, the operator, says repurposing the sites supports the shift to renewable energy. Critics argue closing them risks higher prices and less reliable power.

• Nationally, coal generated 16% of electricity in 2022, down from about 50% years ago. Over 20 GW of coal capacity retired recently, with more closures slated.