PSEG Power retires last coal plant

PSEG Power, one of the principal operating subsidiaries of Public Service Enterprise Group Inc (NYSE:PEG), is now a 100% coal-free utility company after retiring its last remaining coal-fired power plant.

More specifically, PSEG Power retired the 400-MW Bridgeport Harbor Station Unit 3 (BHS 3) in Connecticut on May 31. That particular unit was placed in service in 1968 and converted to a full-time coal unit in 2002. It operated only during times of peak energy demand, such as extreme heat or extreme cold.

The closing of BHS 3 was scheduled when the company opened a 485-MW natural gas power plant known as the Bridgeport Harbor Station Unit 5 (BHS 5) in June 2019. BHS 5 and all other fossil generation units along with Solar Source assets are included in the company’s ongoing Strategic Alternatives process to explore divestiture options. That process is seen to be finalised by the end of the year, after which PSEG Power's fleet will consist almost entirely of carbon-free energy, including nuclear plants and new investments in offshore wind capacity.

"For PSEG, the retirement of BHS 3 marks the end of our company's coal era, reflecting a nationwide trend toward the use of cleaner fuels to generate the electricity we need to power our lives. Newer, more economic and highly efficient power plants like BHS 5 will play a critical role in shrinking our carbon footprint as we address the challenges of climate change and help set Connecticut on a path toward its cleaner energy future,” commented Ralph Izzo, PSEG’s chairman, president and CEO.

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